You Found Me
by superspreegirl89
Summary: Roxas was glad to move on with his life and go to college. He never expected to make any friends or find the person he needed most. Akuroku, Zemyx, Soriku. M for disturbing mental images, blood, language, romance, drug reference, self-harm
1. Chapter 1: I Know Your Face

The road sped past as the hours continued to drag on. Roxas sighed as he hit the six hour mark. 'Just a little longer.' He thought happily. As he turned off of the freeway, he soon came back to civilization. Passing over a hill, he saw what was going to be his new home for the next 9 months: KHU. A massive University filled with the most eager minds of the age, or so the pamphlet claimed. Roxas leaned forward to get a better look at the campus from afar. It looked more like a castle than a traditional University. He sat back and took a deep breath. He would've been lying if he said he wasn't nervous for college life. Roxas was leaving his family to go to a high end college only because he earned a scholarship that paid for half of his tuition.

His car slowed to a stop as he approached the main gates. A huge line of cars were already waiting to get inside. Roxas could make out hundreds of students and parents milling about the campus either moving into the dorms or trying their best not to get lost finding what buildings their classes were located in.

Roxas turned the music down in his car. Without the hum of the road in the background, his music was blaring in his ears, not that he minded. He just didn't want to get in trouble before school even started. The sounds of Bullet for My Valentine echoed in his ears as he crept forward in line. Upon reaching the gates, he rolled down his window.

"Name?" a staff member asked.

"Roxas," the student answered half-heartedly. The staff member scowled and punched his name into a tablet. A printer started spitting out paper to the man's left. He ripped off the sheets and handed them to Roxas.

"Here is your parking information, dorm room assignment, class schedule, and book list. Don't have too much fun now," the man said sarcastically.

Roxas took the papers. "Right…" He pulled forward and the staff member waved for the next car to pull forward. Roxas crept through the campus until he came to the parking ramp. There he found a spot and turned off his car. The sudden silence caused his ears to ring. He sighed, stepping outside to stretch. Then he loaded his arms with as many bags as he could carry from his white Lexus LFA.

His dorm was a five minute walk from the parking ramp. He was staying in Destiny Hall, an all-boys freshman dorm. "Room 506," Roxas muttered as he pushed past the waves of unpacking freshman. He reached his room and found his roommate was already there.

"Oh! Hey there! I'm Pence," the boy greeted. He stood and moved aside so Roxas could set down his belongings. Pence wore a red sports jersey and black shorts. He noticed Roxas's outfit was a bit odd but didn't comment. The newcomer wore white pants and a black tank top. His wrists sported several varieties of bracelets and cuffs while a black dog collar hung low on his neck. His ears were pierced with a pair of small black loops, ending in a point behind his lobes. Pence couldn't tell if the look was punk or gothic.

"Roxas," the blonde introduced without much emotion.

"Cool. Is that all you brought with?"

"No. I have more in my car."

"Need any help?" Roxas paused for a moment.

"Sure. I'll need to stop by the front desk first to get my keys."

"No sweat! All of my stuff is pretty much here. My parents are bringing in the last of it now." The boys went downstairs. Roxas got his room keys which where pass cards shaped almost like crown. Then he and Pence walked back to the parking ramp to pick up the last of his belongings. Pence stopped short at the sight of Roxas's car.

"No way! You drive this?!"

"Yeah, sure," Roxas responded.

"That's so cool. I just got my mom's van." Pence gave a sheepish grin. Roxas opened the trunk and they gathered the rest of his stuff before heading back to their room. When they returned, they found the room was even fuller than when they left. "You didn't bring much," Pence noticed.

"I didn't really want to bring much, honestly."

"Oh." The boys unpacked around each other. Soon their wardrobes and desks were covered with their belongings. Their beds were lofted so they each had their own personal space underneath. Since Roxas didn't bring much, Pence offered to let him use his mini fridge and microwave. They each set up posters on the wall. Pence had a Deathly Hallows poster while Roxas put up several posters of his favorite bands: Slip Knot, Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, Apocalyptica, and System of a Down. Pence eyed the posters pensively, noting his roommate's taste.

"Hey, I have to go meet up with my folks. You're welcome to come with," Pence offered.

"Nah. I need to get to the bookstore before if closes."

"Okay. See you later!" Pence took his leave, leaving Roxas to his thoughts. The blonde shut the door behind him as he left his room behind. Then he went on his way to the bookstore. As expected, it was packed with students and parents talking way too loud over what they should buy for the semester. Roxas examined the paper containing his book list.

"English Literature, Chemistry I, Physics I, Introduction to Engineering, Introduction to Architecture, University Studies, Advanced Trigonometry and Algebra," Roxas muttered. He soon found all of his books and went to wait in the long line at the checkout. Roxas snapped out his phone and started roaming the internet while he waited. All of his books were in a basket by his feet. The English Literature books took up the most room mostly because he needed eight different books for the class.

"Hey, no cutting!" he heard someone growl. He was shoved forward into the girl in front of him.

"Watch it!" she spat. Roxas turned to glare at the people behind him. A tall blonde man with a hat and white vest scowled back. Roxas looked beyond the angered student to see the line snake behind to all the way to the back of the store. He sighed, picked up his basket and shuffled forward.

After finally getting out the bookstore, he stopped outside to check his class list. His classes were spread out across the campus. Roxas sighed and figured he had better figure out where the buildings were while he still had the chance. He shoved the paper back into his pocket as he started his trek.

Roxas slammed into another person and bounced off.

"Watch it!" the man protested. His mullet wearing companion giggled and rolled his eyes.

"Freshmen!" the man laughed.

"Excuse me," Roxas replied flatly, watching the pair stroll around the campus. The man he ran into had a large mass of red hair, which Roxas wondered how his neck wasn't sweating with the end of summer heat.

It was over an hour before Roxas made it back to his room. Pence was still missing so Roxas had the room to himself. He rolled his sore shoulders as he put his books away. Then he lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

Pence arrived later and offered Roxas to come eat with him. Roxas agreed since he didn't have anything better to do. They made their way to the dining hall which looked more like a five star restaurant. There, Pence introduced his friends Hayner and Olette. Roxas didn't say much but he liked the trio well enough not to hate them.

Pence and Roxas returned to their room. There, Pence watched a movie on his laptop with a bag of popcorn while Roxas dully searched the internet. He spent hours staring at sites he didn't care about. When Pence finished his movie, they got ready for bed. Pence went to sleep immediately, snoring softly. Roxas put on his bulky headphones and turned on his MP3 player. The sounds of heavy metal crashed against his ears, sending him to sleep.

XxXxX

The next morning the students had the day off except for the freshmen. They were required to go to an assembly to learn about the University, codes of conduct, honor systems, and the works. Roxas sat with Pence, Hayner, and Olette although none of them really paid attention. Hayner fell asleep half way through, his arm propped up on the arm rest and his head resting on his fist.

Once the assembly finished, Roxas left Pence and his friends as they went into town. The town was actually part of the campus so they didn't need to go far for what they needed. Roxas returned to his room and had a warm soda as he flipped through the books he was supposed to read for his classes. He cringed at the sight of his math book. It was enormous and Roxas hated math. He wasn't bad at it, but it took him twice as long to learn than everyone else.

The rest of the day he wasted in his room, only leaving to eat supper. He wasn't interested in the freshmen activities offered on campus. Pence joined him later at night and they spent the rest of the evening watching a Japanese horror flick.

Morning came too early. Pence had class at 8:00 so he trudged out of bed at 7:00 to get ready. Roxas didn't have class until 8:30 so he lay silently in his bed, having been woken up to Pence's alarm. At 7:15 he rolled out of bed and started getting ready for the day. He grabbed half of a toasted bagel to nibble on while he walked to his first class: English Literature. Roxas didn't like breakfast but his mother warned him to eat at school so he wouldn't pass out in class again.

He found a seat in the back of the classroom and waited for class to start. More and more students streamed into the room as the class time loomed closer. Roxas put his phone on vibrate and shoved it in his pocket. Then he noticed something familiar.

The man with the red hair.

He was sitting right in front of Roxas. 'Who is this guy? He's obviously not a freshmen_.'_ He didn't get a chance to find out since their professor started the class. Professor Xehanort spoke in a very monotone manor, yet he was still intriguing to listen too. He made Roxas feel like the stories were actually important instead of pieces of dying literature.

During the middle of the lecture, the boy next to Roxas received a text, announcing to the class with a loud PING! Master Xehanort stopped his lecture as the student awkwardly turned his phone on silent. Roxas noticed the man in front of him had turned his head. A glint of green reflected from his eye before he faced the front of the class.

'Huh_…'_ Roxas wondered. 'Why do I feel like I've seen him before?' The class ended at 9:50 and the students hurried to their next classes. Roxas followed the man with red hair for awhile, blending into the crowd. When he caught another glimpse of his face, Roxas felt he was sure he had seen the man before. 'But where?'

That evening, he mused over the familiar face as he chewed on the end of his eraser while reading his first English Literature book: A Tale of Two Cities. It had been over an hour and he was still on the first page. He glanced over at Pence. His roommate was staring blankly at his notes.

"What'cha reading?" Roxas asked. Pence jumped at the sound of his roommate's voice. Roxas was normally quiet so it was odd to see him start a conversation.

"Anatomy. We have to memorize the anatomical terms by Thursday," Pence replied with one of his sheepish smiles.

"Like axillary and sacral?"

"Yeah! I see you're not really interested in your book." Roxas closed the cover and placed his pencil on the desk.

"It wasn't my idea to take the class."

"Elective?"

"Yup."

"Bummer. I got stuck with Pottery I. Pottery! What am I supposed to use pottery for when I'm in the working world?"

"What are you going for?"

"Undecided. You?"

"Not sure. I was looking at engineering or architecture."

"Heavy stuff! I heard you need crazy high grades to make it in those programs."

"I'm not worried about the grades."

"Oh yeah, you got that scholarship. Lucky for you. My grand-dad's paying for my tuition for the first year but then I'm on my own."

"Are you working?"

"Not yet. I'm trying to get a job in town. Are you going to work? I suppose not."

"I've never really had a need."

"Got'cha." Pence stretched and glanced at his clock. "Well, I'm going to turn in early. Whoever thought 8am classes were cool should be checked into a metal institution." Roxas chuckled. Pence's smile widened. "So you do smile!"

"You sound surprised."

"Gee, I wonder why?" Roxas laughed again.

'Maybe college won't be as bad as I thought.'

XxXxX

'I hate college. I hate math. I hate my life.' Roxas stared at his text book as he attempted to figure out what the graph was trying to tell him. Pence was at a night class so Roxas was left alone to smash his brain uselessly against the evil he considered algebra. He eventually texted Olette for help but she hadn't started the homework yet. Roxas sighed heavily. His phone literally screamed at him as he got another text.

*Try a tutor*

Roxas frowned at Olette's text. He never liked being taught by other people let alone being around other people. After ten more minutes of frustration, he packed his bag and headed for the library. They had tutors there for students who needed help.

Unfortunately, Roxas forgot they closed at 9pm. It was 11pm. He sighed, mentally slapping himself. As he turned to leave, he glanced at the few students who remained in the library before it closed at midnight. One in particular caught his attention.

'You again…' Roxas stayed rooted to his spot, watching him from afar. The red head was reading at a table. His hair was pulled back from his face and a set of ear buds were buried in his lobes. A pair of thin glasses sat on the lower part of his nose bridge. Roxas felt his feet moving towards the man. Before he realized where he was going, he was standing in front of him on the far side of the table.

It took a minute before the red head noticed someone was standing in front of him. He looked up suddenly, his green eyes holding a hint of mischief. He was tall and thin, almost as if he had an eating disorder.

"Can I help you?" he asked in a smooth voice. Roxas blinked. There was a long pause.

"No," Roxas finally replied, and turned to leave.

"Alright. See you tomorrow then." Roxas paused midstep.

"You know we're in the same class?"

"Well, duh. You sat behind me yesterday. Besides, you're not exactly a blend in kind of guy." Roxas frowned, realizing he was right. His style did stand out from the rest of the students. "Did you read the chapters for tomorrow?"

"No shit," Roxas replied. The man smirked.

"Just asking. My name's Axel, by the way."

"Like the car part?"

"Yeah. Got it memorized?" Axel tapped his temple with his finger.

"I think I should be able to remember that."

"Good. And you're name?" Axel interrupted as Roxas moved to leave again.

"What?"

"You're name, dummy."

"Why do you care?"

"Look, I'm not asking for your social security number. Just a name." Roxas sighed.

"Roxas. Got it memorized?" he asked coldly.

"Sure do. See you around, Roxas." Axel returned to his book, as if they never had a conversation. Roxas finally left and went back to his room. Pence was asleep when he arrived so he retired early.

As he rolled over, he felt his mind tick silently. "Axel," he murmured. Roxas put on his headphones and blasted his favorite playlist until he fell asleep.

**A/N: Hi all! This is my first KH fanfic. Hope you like it! (I tried to get all of the spelling errors out but I edited this at one in the morning so don't kill me if I missed one!) Cheers! (Now with section breaks!)**


	2. Chapter 2: What I Do For You

The weekend soon came and Roxas was glad for the break from school. Pence had invited him to a movie with Hayner and Olette but Roxas declined. He didn't want to see other people after a week of getting frustrated over how idiotic the rest of the freshmen class was. There were only three places that varied from his annoyance. The first was his math class which was a living hell for him. The second was his room which was his sanctuary. Finally, his English Literature class. Since it was an elective, half of the class was upper classmen. Roxas was thankful to be around people with more intelligence than a teenager who barely passed high school. He also enjoyed his professor much more.

Then there was Axel.

He had sat in front of Roxas again during their second class. He never turned around or even attempted to acknowledge Roxas was anyone more than part of the class. For some reason, this irritated Roxas. He wasn't sure why since it never bothered him before.

Roxas sat back in his chair and pulled his bare feet up onto the seat. He glanced at the clock. 'Almost five.' He thought. The math book lay open on his desk, his homework half finished. The rest of his assignments were complete. Roxas debated if he wanted to waste the rest of his Saturday doing homework or save it for Sunday. He sipped at an orange soda.

His phone vibrated across the desk as it received a phone call. Roxas stared at, debating if he should answer. He finally picked it up. "Yeah?"

"Hey Roxas!" Pence called. "We were wondering if you were up for some bowling tonight." Roxas glanced back at the clock.

"I guess."

"Great! We'll come pick you up. Meet you outside in ten minutes." Pence hung up and Roxas set his phone on his desk. Then he sighed. Roxas went to his wardrobe to find some clothes. He was still in his PJ's since he had no ambition to change when he woke up. He finally picked out a pair of baggy black cargo pants with a red long sleeved shirt. He clipped on his favorite dog collar around his neck and stuffed his feet into his pair of black tennis shoes before heading outside to wait for Pence.

His roommate rolled up in a dusty blue van. Hayner was riding shotgun so Roxas climbed in the back with Olette. "Hey!" Pence greeted.

"Hey," Roxas replied half-heartedly.

"Hope you're hungry! Hayner's paying for pizza!"

"That's totally not fair!" Hayner protested, sticking his nose into the air.

"You lost the bet, silly head. Don't take it so hard," Olette reminded. Pence pulled out onto the street and they headed into town on the far side of the campus. Roxas leaned against his armrest and kept his stare out of the window.

They arrived at the bowling alley and headed inside under the large neon sign with a moogle on it. They got their shoes and ordered pizza. Hayner grumbled as he fished the last of his paper money from his wallet. They bowled for a game before breaking to eat. Then they stayed for several more rounds. Olette was the best of them. Roxas managed to win one game only because Olette messed up her eagle shot.

The groups sat back on the plastic chairs and chatted about how much longer they wanted to stay. Hayner was fed up with losing but Pence wanted to stay for neon bowling. Roxas excused himself and went to get a soda. He stood in the carpeted area and sipped at his cola. His gaze was deterred by the sound of cheering at the far end of the bowling alley. Two lanes of male students were cheering loudly or screaming in defeat. Roxas watched them for awhile while Hayner and Pence continued to argue.

A couple of the male bowlers broke from their party and went to the counter for drinks. Roxas turned his attention to his phone. He turned as he felt a tap on his shoulder. Axel smiled back at him with a root beer float in his hand, his elbows leaning on the counter.

"Hey there," Axel greeted.

"Hi," Roxas replied stiffly.

"Who's the stiff?" the second student asked. He was younger than Axel with long silver hair, a yellow shirt and blue cargo pants.

"Be nice, Riku. He's just a classmate."

"Right."

"Hurry up you two! We're starting another game!" someone from their party shouted. Roxas recognized him as the man with the dirty blonde mullet. He wore a black graphic tee with TMNT printed in bold green letters and faded jeans.

"Keep your pants on, Demyx!" Axel shouted across the bowling alley. Riku snorted as he headed over to his friends, soda in hand. "You should try smiling," Axel suggested, his attention turned back to Roxas.

"Why's that?" the younger replied.

"You always look like you're pissed off."

"Maybe I am."

"Sucks to be you then. Cute collar by the way." Axel gave him a smirk and followed Riku's path back to his group. Roxas felt his cheeks burn.

"It's not cute!" Roxas hissed under his breath. He finished his soda and returned to his own party. Olette informed him they were staying for one round of neon bowling before heading back to their dorms. They waited around until the lights turned off only to be replaced by black ones.

"Alright!" Pence cheered. Roxas wasn't a huge fan of neon bowling. He felt like he was on an acid trip. Their clothes glowed along with their bowling balls, making the colors seem far more vibrant than they were. Roxas glanced at the far lanes between his turns to bowl. The large group of guys was having a blast. Axel stuck out with his white tank top although Riku's shirt stuck out quite a bit as well. What stuck out the most was one of the group members was wearing a pair of pink skinny jeans. They glowed vibrantly under the black light. Roxas uttered some inappropriate words in his head.

Once the game was over, Roxas followed the others back to the counter to retrieve their shoes. Then they loaded into Pence's van and headed back. They dropped off Olette and Hayner first before parking in the ramp. Roxas remained silent as he and Pence returned to their room. As Roxas reclaimed his PJ's, Pence chimed up from his computer.

"Hey, did you know those guys?"

"No."

"Just being friendly, huh?"

"I guess. Did you know them?"

"Only one. His names Seifer. He's a senior, I think. He used to go to my high school."

"Which one was he?"

"The guy with the hat. He never takes it off. Weird, huh?" Pence said with a laugh. Roxas recalled the man behind him in the bookstore.

"Right." They went off to do their separate hobbies before they went to sleep. Pence watched an old sports movie while Roxas flicked through his phone contacts, deleting the ones he felt weren't worth keeping. He wasn't left with many names.

'Not like I need friends.' Roxas grumbled in his head.

XxXxX

Sunday passed by as everyone stayed inside to do their homework. Rain pounded against the windows, showing no signs of stopping in the near future. The weather carried over into Monday and well into Tuesday. The students were soaked as they sprinted across campus to keep dry.

Roxas showed up for his morning English Lit class soaking wet. He didn't feel compelled to run and the building was a ten minute walk from his dorm. As he waited for class to start, his numb fingers flicked against the screen of his phone. Water dripped and pooled around his chair. Roxas was caught off guard as something hit him in the face. It was a hand towel.

Roxas looked up to see Axel sitting sideways in his chair. "Hey," he greeted.

"What do you want?" Roxas asked coldly. Axel rolled his eyes.

"Just give it back to me on Thursday. College is hard enough without a cold." Roxas frowned. He was about to protest but Axel turned to the front of the classroom. Roxas ran the towel over his arms and through his hair, spraying droplets onto the floor. He couldn't figure out why Axel was carrying around a towel in his bag and why he felt compelled to be nice enough to hand it out. When the class was released, Roxas dropped the towel on Axel's desk before leaving without a word.

XxXxX

The first month of school passed by quickly. Soon, the first round of exams had arrived. Pence was stressed out for his Anatomy I exam. He constantly muttered terms under his breath wherever he went. Roxas wasn't worried about his exams. He passed each one nearly flawlessly.

Save one.

"Damn," Roxas cursed, chewing on the end of his Pocky. "A fucking C." He slammed his fist on his desk. His math grade was not to his liking. Roxas sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He had calculated the odds of him getting a 4.0 for the semester, something he needed to keep his scholarship, and it was still doable. He needed no less than 92% on his remaining exams. But Roxas had no idea how to study for math. He remembered the tutoring center and packed his bag.

Upon his arrival, he uttered a string of strong, choice words. It was Friday. The tutor center closed at 6pm. It was 6:15. "Damn it all to Hell." Roxas turned to leave when he saw Axel in his usual seat. With a sigh, he went over and sat down at his table.

Axel looked up at the distressed teen. "What's up?" Axel greeted.

"I just need a moment to think," Roxas replied, rubbing his temples with his fingers. Axel waited patiently for Roxas to calm down. "What are you, a senior?"

"Yeah. Core classes getting to you?"

"I just can't…ugh…math!"

"You can't math?"

"No! Argh!" Roxas smashed his face into the table and swore heavily under his breath.

"Want some help?"

"NO!" Roxas declined sharply, his face still pressed against the table.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about. Everyone has their one class they struggle at."

"Not me." Axel raised his eyebrows.

"O-kay..." There was a moment of silence before Axel spoke up again. "I failed O-chem twice."

"Honestly, I don't care."

"Just trying to help."

"I don't want it."

"Says the guy who sat at my table." Roxas lifted his head to see Axel smirking at him. A large red mark stood out on his forehead from where it had made contact with the table.

"Screw it." Roxas stood to leave. Axel reached across the table and grabbed him by the wrist.

"I can help you if you want. You only have to ask." Roxas remained still, his eyes glaring daggers at Axel. The red head merely stared back at him, his green eyes steady with the angered teens.

"Fine." Axel smirked, releasing Roxas's wrist.

"Great. When do you want to start?" Roxas responded by dropping his backpack on the table with a loud crash. Axel jumped slightly at the bluntness of Roxas's response. "Right. Look, the library closes soon so why don't I meet you tomorrow morning? I can pick you up and we can hang out at my place."

"Fine. 9:00." Roxas picked up his bag and stormed out of the library, leaving Axel bewildered and slightly amused.

XxXxX

The next morning Roxas stood waiting with his bag outside of his dorm. He wore a black sleeveless hooded sweatshirt and white cargo pants. At 9:00, a black car pulled up and stopped in front of him. Roxas climbed inside to see Axel in a purple shirt and frayed jeans. He also noticed he wore his favorite pair of dusty flip flops. Roxas really hated flip flops. Axel's were beige with fabric straps that were fraying around the edges.

"Ready?" Axel asked. Roxas grunted and he headed off in Axel's Mercedes. The trip across the campus took longer than Roxas expected.

'Where does this guy live?' Roxas wondered. Almost as if by cue, Axel struck up a conversation.

"I live on the far side of the campus in the Twilight Expansion." Roxas frowned. "I'm living with seven other guys and they're home so I apologize if they do anything weird. Just ignore them if you can." They continued their drive. It was getting close to twenty minutes before Axel turned off the main road.

"Just how big is this campus?" Roxas wondered aloud.

"Bigger than you think." Roxas stared out of the window and watched the fraternity houses pass by with their large Greek letters pasted on the front.

'Is Axel in a frat? Oh God, I hope not. There's nothing worse than frat boys.' They soon left the fraternity area and entered a quiet area filled with parks and apartments. Roxas let out a small sigh of relief.

"Lying naked all the day…" Roxas turned sharply to look at Axel, his heart skipping a beat. He was driving with his eyes focused on the road. Lyrics of the song playing on his stero were being muttered under his breath unconsciously.

"What the Hell are you singing?" Axel snapped out of his trance and glanced at Roxas.

"Despre Tine. It's Romanian." Axel turned up the stero and let Roxas listen to the lyrics. The line came up again but as Axel muttered it under his breath, it sounded more natural. "Ma inec in ochii tai."

"Not exactly streamline music."

"It's fun!"

"About as fun as the Numa Numa song," Roxas said sarcastically.

"Same artist." Roxas rolled his eyes. They pulled into a small parking lot in with a set of row house styled apartments. Axel retrieved his keys and unlocked the front door. "Remember, if they get too weird, just ignore them." Roxas nodded slightly.

They stepped inside to a spacious first floor. To the right was the living room filled with an assortment of furniture. To the left was a kitchen and dining area. A table seated for four sat in the corner while four stools sat at the large granite counter. The kitchen was busy with the traffic of four other males.

"Welcome back!" Demyx greeted with a smile in his dark blue bath robe.

"What's for breakfast?" Axel asked as he led Roxas farther into the apartment.

"Eggs and bacon. Toast?" a man with dark hair asked. It was to tell if it was black or a dark shade of purple. It hung over half of his face. The man wore a white shirt and printed flannel pants.

"Naturally." Axel was handed a piece of buttered toast and took a bite. The dark haired man offered one to Roxas.

"No thanks," Roxas declined. The man shrugged and bit into it himself.

"Roxas, this is Zexion. That's Demyx over there in the robe. The guy without a shirt is Terra and you remember Riku." The others gave Roxas half-hearted waves. Axel led Roxas up a flight of stairs. They bumped into a burly man on his way down.

"Morning Lexaeus," Axel greeted. The large man merely nodded on his way. "Don't worry, he doesn't say much. He's rooming with Riku on the left side up here. Terra and Seifer are on the right." Axel pointed out on the second floor. The hall had four doors, the two closest being the bathrooms and the farthest the rooms where each pair slept. The shower on the right was running. Axel brought Roxas up another flight of stairs to the top floor. "Demyx and Zexion are on the left. I'm on the right."

"Must be nice to be by yourself," Roxas muttered. Axel laughed.

"Not quite." He knocked on the bathroom door. A plume of steam emerged as the door cracked open. "I'm rooming with this goof."

"Speak for yourself!" the man protested. He had a towel wrapped around his waist as he blew dried his pink hair.

"Marluxia," Axel introduced.

"Nice hair," Roxas scoffed.

"It's natural so you know. Don't mind the mess in our room. I'll clean it up later," Marluxia commented.

"So we've heard," Axel shot back.

"Deal with it!" Marluxia slammed the bathroom door in his roommates face. Axel led Roxas to his room. Inside it was cramped with various possessions by both males. Marluxia's side was covered in paper and chalk.

"Graphic design major." Axel sat on his bed, which was on the cleaner half of the room. Everything from books to papers to pens were stacked in piles on his desk and shelves. "Pharmacy," Axel explained as he laid back. "Feel free to sit wherever." Roxas chose to sit on the floor and pulled out his math book. Axel rolled onto his stomach and leaned over Roxas's shoulder.

"Eh, this is easy stuff. What are you stuck on?"

"All of it." Axel laughed. Roxas shivered as Axel's breath hit the back of his neck.

"Let me see." Axel borrowed Roxas's notes and read over his homework, rolling onto his back. While he was reading, Zexion came in and set a plate of bacon and eggs on Axel's desk.

"Are you sure you don't want anything?" Zexion offered.

"I'm fine," Roxas replied stiffly.

"Okay then. There's juice in the fridge if you change your mind." Zexion excused himself. Axel continued to flip through Roxas's notes.

"Here's your problem." Axel rolled over and placed the notebook on Roxas's lap. "You have the equation written wrong."

"No I don't."

"It's X equals negative B, not positive." Roxas scowled and scribbled a negative sign in front of the equation. Then he plugged the numbers through the formula.

"Huh…" Roxas worked on the rest of the problems while Axel sat up and dug into his breakfast. Axel watched Roxas work from his perch on his bed.

'This kid's smart, I've seen it. He got the second highest score on the English Literature exam. Math must be his Achilles' Heel.' Axel thought to himself. He chewed thoughtfully on a piece of bacon.

Roxas worked until he got stuck again. Having Axel behind him ground against his nerves. 'How the heck did this clown get the highest score on the English Literature test?! He's a joke. I guess it's because all I ever see him do is study. He must have gotten lucky. Next time I'll make sure I don't mix up the characters on the essay. That'll put this guy in his place,' Roxas thought darkly.

Axel popped the last of his bacon in his mouth and leaned forward to see what Roxas was doing. He put his plate on his desk and grabbed the nearest pencil. Then he leaned over Roxas's shoulder. "You're mixing up the axis," Axel corrected. He erased what Roxas had just written and jotted down the correct answer. "See it now?"

All Roxas could see was Axel's arms around him and Axel's face dangerously close to the left side of his own face. Roxas's body twitched. Axel was way too comfortable with being around other guys who didn't care. Roxas cared. He shoved Axel's arms away and returned to his work.

"Yeah, whatever," he murmured. Axel gave him a quizzing look but didn't question him.

The pair worked on Roxas's math the rest of the morning. Axel remained silent unless he spoke up on how to fix the mistakes Roxas had made. After awhile, the problems actually started to make sense to the younger male. When he finished, he looked over his work as he chewed on the edge of his thumb nail. Roxas felt satisfied with his work and shoved it back into his pack.

"All done?" Axel asked, turning his head. He was lying on his back with his knees sticking up.

"Yeah." Roxas shifted his gaze awkwardly. "…thanks…"

"No problem." Axel stole Roxas's phone from beside him and started punching in numbers. Then he tossed it back to the emotionless teen. "Call me if you ever need help." Roxas stared at the screen with his newest contact.

The sound of running footsteps caused them to look up towards the door. Demyx popped his head in a few seconds later. "Brawl tournament downstairs!" he shouted. Axel leapt from his bed and grabbed his plate.

"Come on. You deserve a break." Roxas silently picked up his bag and followed Axel and Demyx downstairs. Axel dropped off his dishes before they slipped into the basement. It was crowded with a large leather sofa and HD plasma screen large enough to fit over the entire wall. Roxas was impressed. He pulled up a seat on the floor.

"Hey, you can't be Ike!" Seifer protested, his hat covering his wet hair.

"Why not?" Riku asked.

"He hacks!"

"So what? Deal with it." Seifer growled and picked out Solid Snake.

The boys played a sixteen person tournament with COMS to fill in the spaces. Roxas even joined in and owned Marluxia as Princess Peach. As lunch loomed near, they ordered take out from a Chinese place. When the food came, they ate and played at the same time. Roxas wondered how they could all get so drawn within the game. They spilled their food plenty of times and threw broken fortune cookies at each other.

Roxas picked at his chicken with chopsticks. Despite his gloomy nature, he actually found himself slightly enjoying the company of the eight older boys. He found out Riku was a sophomore in exercise science, Zexion was a junior majoring in English, Demyx was a fourth year junior going into music, Terra was getting a business degree while he played sports on a full ride scholarship which would end at the end of the year as he was a senior, Seifer was a senior in engineering, Lexaeus was a senior and would be moving onto med school at the end of the year, Marluxia was a senior but would be returning to school for a fifth year, and Axel was double majoring in Pharmacy and literature.

Roxas found the guys to be quirky and annoying, but it wasn't enough to overpower him. He smiled softly to himself. 'They treat me like I'm a normal guy. Hayner, Pence and Olette do too but they're usually so awkward to be around. It feels more natural here.' Roxas popped a piece of chicken into his mouth.

A pair of chopsticks struck as it kidnapped one of his chicken pieces. Roxas looked up behind him to see Axel sticking it into his mouth. He smiled mischievously. Roxas scowled and returned to his food.

When 2:00 rolled around, the boys broke up their game. Terra had to get to a game and the others had homework to do. Axel grabbed his keys and drove Roxas back to his dorm. The car ride was silent until Axel spoke up.

"What do you think of those goofballs?" Roxas shrugged.

"I guess I wouldn't mind living with them." Axel laughed.

"Oh, they were on their good behavior today. Usually the place is a Hell box. Six different types of music playing from speakers while they argue over stupid ideas, not to mention all of the…well…extra noise."

"Extra noise?" Roxas raised an eyebrow.

"We get company a lot, if you get my meaning." Roxas stopped to think about it. When the idea occurred to him, he scoffed.

"Seriously? Do you guys do anything besides school or sex?" Axel laughed hard.

"I leave the sex to the rest of them. I've got too much work to do."

"Why the double major then?"

"I couldn't decide so I went into both. You should figure out what you want to do. It'll help you focus on your classes."

"I don't have a clue to what I want to do with my life." Axel's face fell a bit.

"Have any interests?" Roxas shrugged.

"Music."

"Talk to Demyx. He could hook you up with the ins and outs of the music major."

"I wouldn't go into music anyway."

"Oh. What else would you want to do?"

"I don't mind drawing."

"Art?"

"Hell no."

"Then you should stick to architecture. You'll just have to get better at math first," Axel teased.

"Thanks for the reminder." Roxas turned his gaze to stare out the side window. Axel sighed and the car fell into silence again. He dropped Roxas off at his dorm.

"See you around," Axel called with a wave. He drove off, leaving Roxas behind.

"Whatever." Roxas went back to his room and then hit the showers.

XxXxX

"Are you still awake?" Marluxia asked, rubbing his eyes. The small desk lamp on Axel's desk was lit and Axel sat at his computer typing.

"I'm busy," Axel muttered. Marluxia sighed dramatically and rolled over to check his clock.

"It's 4:30! Go to bed! Your homework will still be there when you wake up."

"I won't have time tomorrow."

"Was that all the homework you were supposed to do this morning?" Axel didn't respond. "Hello? Earth to Axel?" Marluxia lay back down on his bed. "Ugh! Good night!" He rolled over and shoved his pillow over his head. Axel sighed.

'Only six pages to go.'


	3. Chapter 3: Turn the Car Around

The semester progressed into October and the weather started to cool. The trees started to change colors around the campus, turning everything orange and gold. Roxas exhaled slowly, watching a wisp of steam rise from beneath his black scarf. He enjoyed the colder weather since there were fewer people walking around outside.

It was a Saturday afternoon and most of the campus was either doing homework or in town wasting time. Roxas walked around the campus, enjoying the silence that greeted his ears. He eventually made his way to the parks by Axel's apartments. The trees rustled gently in the breeze. He made his way to a bench and took a seat.

The park was empty and the wind was chilly. Roxas sighed and dug into his pocket. There he pulled out a rolled up piece of paper and a lighter. He closed his eyes and relaxed as the drugs coursed through his lungs. Roxas exhaled slowly and closed his eyes, leaning back against the bench.

He felt the joint being taken from his mouth and he opened his eyes with a glare. Marluxia stood over him with a frown.

"Not exactly tactful, smoking in the park," Marluxia commented. He extinguished the joint on the bottom of his shoe and tossed in in a nearby trash can. Roxas scowled. He hadn't even gotten high yet.

"Why do you care if I go out for a smoke?" Marluxia crossed his arms over his chest. His white coat was accented with a magenta scarf.

"Is your life so stressful that you need to resort to fake highs?" Roxas didn't reply. Marluxia sighed and dug a box of strawberry Pocky from his pocket. He offered a stick to Roxas.

"No thanks," Roxas hissed.

"I'd rather have you fat then stoned." Marluxia shoved the stick into Roxas's mouth, causing the younger boys frown to deepen.

"Why are you even here?"

"Neighbors to the south were being a little too noisy. It's hard to write an annotated bibliography when your music can't drown out the background. So I thought I'd take a walk." Marluxia rubbed his hands together and blew some hot air on them to get the circulation flowing again.

Roxas nibbled on the Pocky until it was gone. Marluxia popped a stick of his own in his mouth and munched on it quietly. Roxas lay down on the bench and closed his eyes.

"You're not going to leave, are you?" Marluxia smirked.

"Eventually. I'll give them twenty more minutes before I head back. They should have all of their hormones under control by then." Marluxia turned and leaned against the back of the bench, sticking a second Pocky into his mouth. He offered one to Roxas. "Here." Roxas cracked an eye. Surprisingly, he accepted it. Marluxia watched as he bit off the end and chewed on it slowly.

"Exams going well?" Marluxia asked.

"Whatever," Roxas growled, taking another bite of Pocky. Marluxia frowned.

"You don't have to be so emo, you know. I'm sure whatever happened to you…"

"Shut the fuck up!" Roxas barked. Marluxia stood frozen. He didn't know Roxas very well, besides the three times he showed up for help with his math homework, but his outburst seemed out of place. Roxas stood and stormed off back to his dorm. "God, what a waste of a day."

Marluxia watched him leave with a sad countenance. He pulled out his cellphone and called Axel. It was hard to hear his roommate over the music blaring in the background. "Hey."

"How's it going?" There was a paused as Axel pressed his ear to the floor.

"Sounds like it's died down. Demyx is still practicing."

"I couldn't tell." Axel chuckled.

"Get back to your paper, you slacker."

"Same to you." Marluxia hung up. He was about to head back but his curiosity got the better of him. He walked deeper into the park to where there was a large group of trees clustered together. He was careful not to make too much noise. Marluxia peeked from behind a tree and found Roxas sitting at a base of a tree, another joint in his mouth. The pain on his face was obvious. Marluxia sighed and headed back to his room.

'I'd better not tell Axel.' He thought quietly. 'Who knows what emotional trauma it might put him through? To think he's been good for this long…'

XxXxX

Roxas chewed on his eraser. The latest test grades were posted and he got a 95% on his math exam. It was a start but he had a long way to go. The semester wasn't even half over. Roxas shut his computer and turned back to his math book. The professor did a terrible job explaining the material and the TA's explanation made it even more confusing.

"You feeling okay, Roxas?" Pence asked, looking up from his instant ramen cup and anatomy notes. Roxas shifted his gaze to the left.

"Yeah, sure."

"Say, I was curious. What's with the scar on your chin?" Pence was talking about the small pale dot under his lower lip.

"I had a piecing that got infected." Roxas set his pencil down and pulled his feet onto his chair.

"No way!" Roxas grabbed his phone and scrolled through the pictures. He handed it Pence. It was a side shot of Roxas from his senior year of high school. A black piecing sat under his lower lip. Pence chuckled. "Bad ass!" He handed the phone back to Roxas. "Ever want to get it re-pierced?"

"Haven't thought about it much."

"Cool. I always wanted a tattoo but my mom won't let me get one. You have any tattoos?" Roxas shook his head. "Well, okay." Pence returned to slurping his noodles. Roxas stared at his book but his eyes couldn't focus.

"I'm going to bed," Roxas announced, moving from his chair to his bed.

"Oh…uh, okay. It's only 8:00, but okay. See you in the morning then!" Roxas crawled under the covers in his clothes, having not bothered to change, and pulled the covers over his head.

The next morning, Roxas wasn't feeling well. His hands wouldn't stop shaking. He forced himself out of bed and to class. When he sat down at his desk for English Lit, his legs felt like they were about to give out. If Axel noticed his condition, he didn't comment. During the lecture, Roxas could barely think. Everything the professor said seemed muddled. As he stood to leave, he wavered and bumped into his chair.

"Careful there, Roxas," Axel teased.

"Mind your own business, shithead!" Roxas stormed off. Axel was left confused.

Friday came and Roxas wasn't feeling any better. He didn't eat because it made him queasy. His latest math homework was turned in incomplete since he didn't finish it the night before. Roxas snapped at the professor and punched him in the face before leaving. He made his way back to his room and grabbed his keys.

"Heading out?" Pence asked.

"Shut up!" Roxas hissed. Pence remained silent as he watched Roxas storm out of the room. Roxas made his way to his car and stormed off towards Axel's apartment.

'I'll give him a piece of my mind.' Roxas rubbed his eyes because his vision was blurring. It didn't get any better. In fact, it got worse the farther he drove. Upon reaching the apartments, he tripped out of his car. Roxas stood up, unsure why he was on the ground.

His trip only got worse as he started off by knocking on the door of the wrong apartment. When he figured out he was at the wrong door, he didn't even apologize the resident standing confused in the doorway. After knocking on the correct door, he was greeted by Demyx.

"Roxas! We were just heading out!"

"Where's Axel?!" Roxas shouted.

"Oh, he's right here." Axel poked his head around the door.

"Heya, Roxas," Axel greeted.

"Get in the fucking car!" The guys in the doorway stood in a stunned silence.

"Well, if you want to drive that's cool. We're just getting groceries…"

"Fine!" Axel, Demyx and Marluxia exchanged glances. Marluxia felt his stomach tighten. They piled into Roxas's car, which was a tight fit. There wasn't much room in the back seats so Axel had to sit in the front, as he was the tallest. Marluxia noticed him stiffen at the prospect. He and Demyx squeezed into the tiny back seat.

"I don't think we can fit much food in here," Demyx whispered in Marluxia's ear.

"Just roll with it," Marluxia whispered back. Roxas climbed in and started the car. He rocketed out of the parking lot and sped down the street, running past a stop sign.

"Can we slow down a bit?" Demyx asked.

"Shut up!" Roxas's vision blurred again and he rubbed his eyes.

"Could you please slow down?" Axel asked nicely. Roxas didn't reply. "Roxas?" Marluxia smacked Roxas on the head.

"Knock it off!" Marluxia roared. Roxas turned to glared at him.

"Watch the road!" Demyx squealed. Roxas drifted around a corner.

"Roxas! Please!" Axel begged, his face pale. Roxas slammed on the breaks, sending everyone flying forward in their seat. Roxas slowed to the speed limit and scowled.

"Where the hell are we going?" Roxas barked.

"I told you, to get groceries," Demyx reminded. Roxas noticed Axel sitting next to him.

"What are you doing here?"

"You told me to get in the car. Roxas, what the Hell's wrong with you?"

"Just leave me alone!" Roxas screamed. He slammed his head against the back of his seat. His vision blurred so badly he became dizzy. His grip faltered on the steering wheel. They turned sharply, nearly rolling the car.

"Roxas!" Axel shouted. The blonde wavered and passed out, slumping forward in his seat. Axel's eyes went wide. Roxas's foot stepped further on the accelerator. Demyx screamed. Marluxia leapt forward and jerked the wheel. He lifted Roxas's foot from the pedal and cracked the emergency brake. The car screeched and spun around on the road, crashing to a stop on a light post.

There was a moment of stunned silence.

"I think I peed myself," Demyx whispered. Marluxia forced himself out of his seatbelt.

"Axel, get out so we can get Roxas to a hospital." The pink haired male turned to his roommate. "Oh God, no." Axel sat pressed against the back of his seat. His eyes were wide and his hands were white knuckled on the door. He was unresponsive.

"Demyx, call 911! Now!" Demyx whimpered and dialed. Marluxia tried to coax Axel out of his shock with no luck.

"They're on their way!" Demyx called. They waited for five minutes in the backseat until help arrived. The police eased Axel out of the car so the pair in the back seat could get out. Roxas was pulled from the car last. The paramedics arrived and took him and Axel to the hospital. Marluxia called for a tow truck to bring Roxas's car to a repair service while Demyx called the rest of his apartment mates.

"What have we gotten into?" Marluxia wondered aloud.

XxXxX

"Easy there," Zexion's voice murmured. Roxas pried his eyes open. He found himself in the hospital with two IV's in his arm. Turning his head, he tried to read what was on them. One had the label turned away but the other read "GLUCOSE" in small black letters.

"How'd I get here?" Roxas asked quietly.

"You don't remember?" Roxas shook his head. "What's the last thing you do remember?"

"Taking a shower…Thursday night…" Zexion sighed.

"I suppose I shouldn't have expected more." The door opened and Lexaeus entered in a white coat. He held a clipboard and flipped through the pages.

"You're labs have stabilized. If you're good, we'll discharge you today," he said with a cool voice. It was the first time Roxas had heard him speak.

"I don't understand," Roxas stated.

"Anorexia with a case of hypoglycemia. You're lucky to have gotten here when you did. Any longer and your brain might have lost some cognitive functioning."

"Hypo-what?"

"Low blood sugar, most likely due from the lack of caloric intake. Can you tell me what you've had to eat the past few days?"

"Some Pocky, and a bagel, I think." Lexaeus sighed.

"Self-starvation." Lexaeus wrote down some notes. "I'm going to have you see the dietitian for a diet plan. We can't have you eating too much too soon but you need some calories, particularly carbs. If you can eat a full lunch, I'll have you discharged and you can get back to school for Wednesday classes."

"Wednesday?!" Roxas proclaimed, sitting up suddenly. His head spun and Zexion eased him back down.

"Yes. You were in a coma for awhile. Try and get him to eat," Lexaeus said to Zexion before leaving the room. Roxas stared at the ceiling, trying to remember what he did between last Thursday and the present.

"The school dropped the charges against assaulting a professor since you weren't in the right mind set." Zexion handed Roxas a piece of paper with equations and triangles on it. "Your professor gave you permission to redo the assignment. Marluxia took care of your car for you and your friend Pence collected all of your homework."

Roxas pressed his head into his pillow. He fought against the emotions but he couldn't hold them back. He pressed his eyes shut as tears spilled down his cheeks. Zexion watched silently, his face full of worry. Roxas's clenched the sheets in his fists. He just wanted to scream.

Zexion perked up at the door opened again. Marluxia stepped inside with a vase of flowers. He saw Roxas and his heart went out to him. He stepped farther into the room and placed the flowers on the bedside table.

"Axel will be glad to hear he's awake," Marluxia muttered. "Have you told him yet?" Zexion shook his head.

"I'll call him when he's out of class," the dark haired man replied. Roxas opened his eyes and glanced at the clock. 9:15. Axel was in English Literature. Roxas sat up and rubbed the tears from his face. He sniffed and looked down at his homework. There was a sticky note attached to it.

Hey Kid

No hard feelings. Get better and get back to class. Can't have you slacking off now.

You can redo this assignment. Bring it to me when you can.

Cid

Roxas sighed and placed the paper on his bedside table. Marluxia sat in the second chair in the room. "How's your memory?" he asked.

"Shitty," Roxas replied.

"I can fill you in if you want. I'll leave it up to you." Roxas stared at his hands in his lap. Then he nodded. "Alright." Marluxia spent the next hour filling him in and answering questions. Roxas inwardly flinched each time he heard more bad news. When Marluxia reached the part about the paramedics, Roxas felt a pang of concern.

"What do you mean they took Axel to the hospital? I thought none of you were hurt?" Roxas interrupted.

"We were, save from some whiplash and Demyx's pants. Axel went into shock so the paramedics wanted to make sure he was going to be alright before letting him go. He missed classes on Monday but he forced himself to go today. I haven't seen him do that since his sophomore year."

"You mean this has happened before?"

"We're not really sure. Axel won't talk about it and I've known him since we met in high school." Something in Roxas's mind clicked.

"What school did you go to?!" he demanded, his eyes intrigued.

"Trinity High. Why?" Roxas lowered his gaze and chewed on his bottom lip.

"When did you meet him?"

"The end of our senior year. He moved rather suddenly."

"That's why I recognized him," Roxas whispered. Marluxia raised an eyebrow in question. 'I went to Chesterson High. Axel used to go to my school before he moved. I can't remember much about him or why he moved. I try to forget high school when I can.'

"It's nothing," Roxas reassured the worried pair.

"Alright." Marluxia stood and stretched. "I have to get back to campus. Classes won't wait for me." He left with a smile and a wave, leaving Roxas alone with Zexion.

"Ready for some lunch?" Zexion offered. It was still early but Roxas didn't protest. Zexion ordered lunch for both of them and it came a half an hour later. Roxas wasn't thrilled with the food and he still wasn't hungry, but Zexion forced him to eat every bite. It made his stomach curl.

Lexaeus checked back with them in the early afternoon and Roxas was discharged with glucose tablets. Zexion brought him down to the dietitian's office and they sat through an appointment of learning what Roxas should be eating for the next month. Then they headed back the campus in Zexions FIAT. Roxas dozed in the car until Zexion poked him upon reaching his dorm.

When he got back to his room, he was bombarded with questions by Pence. Roxas tried to answer them all, but he eventually turned to ignoring them. Pence got the hint and quickly shut up. Roxas spent the rest of the day catching up on his homework.

The rest of his week was eaten up as well. Any free time he had went to making up all of his assignments and a missed physics exam. By Friday evening, he was exhausted. He thought of hanging out with Pence but he went to a movie with an old friend who had come to visit. Roxas turned to his phone and flicked through the contacts. He found himself scrolling back to the top.

Axel.

Roxas pressed dial and waited while the phone rang. "Hello?" Axel greeted.

"Hey Axel," Roxas replied.

"Roxas! Are you okay?! Zexion said you were discharged."

"Yeah. I'm doing okay."

"Are you eating?"

"I guess so. I'm not really that hungry though."

"You want to go get some food?"

"Sure. Where do you want to go?"

"I should ask you that," Axel corrected.

"Right. Maybe just something sweet."

"Okay. There's an ice cream place I know of that's pretty good. Want to go there?"

"Sounds good."

"Great. I'll come pick you up."

"Thanks." Roxas hung up and sat curled up in his chair. He couldn't figure out why but he felt normal talking to Axel. Roxas moved to his closet and picked out some warmer clothes. He eventually settled on a baggy grey sweatshirt, black cargo pants, and a spikey dog collar. Then he put on his dark red coat and scarf and headed downstairs to wait. He watched his breath swirl through the air as he breathed. The last bits of light faded from the day and it turned into night. The stars started to poke through the darkness when a set of headlights appeared. Roxas stood from the steps leading up to his dorm and walked up to the curb.

The car stopped in front of him and Roxas crawled inside. Before he had a chance to put his seat belt on, he was being crushed against Axel's chest. Roxas's eyes went wide. Axel held him in his arms for a full minute before letting him sit comfortably.

"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Axel said with a soft smile. Roxas felt his heart beat harder. "Hey, say something." Roxas blinked and forced himself out of his daze.

"Let's go get some food." Axel nodded and pulled off. They drove into town and stopped at a small ice cream parlor. There were only six tables inside and they were the only customers. A red headed girl leaned on the counter reading a book.

"Oh, hi!" she greeted. Her name tag read Kairi. "Just let me know when you're ready." Axel shoved his hands into his pockets and read over the choices. Roxas wasn't sure what to try.

"What are you getting?" he asked Axel.

"Dunno. Maybe I'll try something new, although butter pecan sounds good," Axel replied, never moving his gaze. Roxas looked over the board a second time.

"Sea-salt? That's a weird flavor."

"You should try it. Seifer had it once and ate almost an entire gallon."

Roxas ordered a bowl of sea salt ice cream in a waffle bowl while Axel got a regular bowl of coffee toffee blast. Roxas was about to pay when Axel shook his head.

"My treat."

"You sure?"

"Of course." Kairi prepared their ice cream and they moved to a corner table to eat. The girl went back to her book shortly after.

"Marluxia had you're car fixed up."

"How much was it?"

"He said not to worry about it. "Consider it a present" he said. I think he just pulled some strings with Seifer since he works at the body shop."

"Oh." Roxas broke off part of his bowl and scooped it in the ice cream, which was a bright blue color. When he tasted it, his face lit up.

"Any good?"

"Yeah. It starts off salty but then gets sweet." Roxas suddenly felt hungry and began to devour his treat. Axel watched quietly, slowly eating his ice cream as he leaned against the back of his chair. Roxas noticed him staring and paused.

"You've got some on your face," Axel said with a chuckle. He leaned across the table and wiped the corner of Roxas's mouth with his thumb. Roxas didn't mind until Axel licked his thumb. "Mmm, it is good, or maybe that's just you." Roxas's face flushed. His mind went blank. Axel took a scoop of his ice cream and held it out to Roxas. "Want a taste?" Roxas desperately wanted to protest. His mind screamed at him to swear or start bashing the red head.

But Axel's smile blocked the neurons in his mind.

Roxas leaned forward and bit down on the spoon. The ice cream was good but he preferred the flavor he got. Axel's smile turned into a smirk as he pulled the spoon from Roxas's mouth.

"What are you up to tonight?" Axel asked in a cool voice.

"Eh?" Axel burst out laughing.

"Come on. It'll be a quiet night at my place. Terra, Seifer, and Riku are out clubbing with Marluxia. Lexaeus is out of town so it'll only be me, you, Zexion and Demyx."

"I guess that sounds fun." Axel spooned the rest of his ice cream in his mouth and stood up.

"Let's go then." They headed back to Axel's apartment. As they got out of the car, they could voices from inside.

"You can't put it back in!" Zexion cried.

"Sure I can," Demyx protested.

"No you can't. You touched it, you have to remove it."

"Ah, come on! Uh, oh."

"What?"

"It's stuck!"

"That's what you get for not removing it when you had the chance."

"Push the other way, and then try pulling it out."

"Oh, that's so much easier."

Roxas was starting to wonder when Axel opened the door. They stepped inside and found the pair at the kitchen table playing Jenga. Demyx gently placed the wooden block on the top of the tower.

"Hey guys!" Demyx greeted. "We're playing for pizza."

"Loser buys," Zexion explained. Axel sauntered over and pulled out a piece from the bottom. Then he gracefully placed it on the top.

"No fair! I was going for that piece." Demyx whined.

"Too slow," Axel teased. Roxas kicked off his shoes and went over to the table as well.

"What's the point to the game?" Roxas asked.

"Not to knock the tower over," Zexion explained. "Which is something Demyx doesn't know how to do."

"Hey! I don't always lose," Demyx defended.

"You're never won either," Axel added. Demyx pouted. Roxas looked at the tower and studied the structure. Then he pulled out a piece from the side. He was about to place it on top when he received a text message. Demyx jumped at the sudden scream and slammed into the table, knocking the tower over. Wooden beams were sent sprawling across the kitchen. Roxas was left holding his piece.

"You're buying!" Zexion called.

"No fair!" Demyx pouted, shelling out thirty dollars from his wallet. Roxas placed the wooden piece on the table and checked his text. It was his mother worrying about him. She received a call from the school on what happened and she was worried sick. Roxas sent a half-hearted reply, not really caring what she thought.

The doorbell rang ten minutes later with the pizza. Demyx was sad to see his money go. Everyone grabbed a slice of pizza and Axel passed out cans of soda. As Roxas sat eating his crust, he leaned against the wall. A light smile brushed across his face.

"Hey look! Roxas does know how to smile!" Roxas's smile faded at Demyx's outburst.

"Damn, I wish I had taken a picture. Seifer owes us fifty now," Zexion mused.

"You made a bet on whether or not I knew how to smile?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah, but we make bets on everything. Just last week we were betting on how long it was going to take before Riku did his laundry," Demyx stated, offering himself a second slice.

"How long was it?"

"Not sure. It's going on five weeks and he still hasn't run out of clothes. Either he re-wears them and we don't know it or his wardrobe's massive," Zexion commented.

"I'd say it's the wardrobe," Axel stated.

"No way! He brought two bags with him when he moved in. There's no way he'd have that many clothes," Demyx protested.

"Want to bet?"

"Twenty!"

"Deal!" Axel and Demyx sealed the deal by toasting their sodas.


	4. Chapter 4: This is Halloween

As October dwelled on, the campus began to show signs of change. The staff was really into Halloween so the entire campus was altered to look dark and gothic. Pumpkins were placed along the sides of buildings and bats were seen roaming the campus. Students were excited for Halloween. There was going to be a huge party held in the main building of the campus. Roxas really didn't want to go but he was somehow persuaded by Marluxia after he brought up Roxas owed him for the car repairs. With a scowl, he accepted his fate.

The weeks before dragged on as usual. Roxas found himself traveling to Axel's apartment for help with his math more and more frequently as the semester progressed. He arrived at the parking lot and walked inside the apartment. The rest of the guys were used to seeing him but there were a couple of new faces.

"Oh! Who's the cutie?" a girl asked.

"Freshmen," another said with a snobby attitude.

"Selphie, be nice."

"Hey Roxas!" Riku called from the kitchen as he worked on making a stir fry.

"Hey," Roxas replied. Terra came down stairs and wrapped his arms around the first girl, who had blue hair.

"Who's the cutie?" the girl asked.

"That's Roxas. He's just here to see Axel. Roxas, this is Aqua. She's my girlfriend," Terra introduced.

"Hello," Aqua greeted. She seemed to be very nice.

"Are we ever going to leave?" Selphie asked. Roxas walked past the kitchen.

"Who's she?" Roxas whispered in Terra's ear.

"One of Seifer's girls. Don't ask which. I think this is his third real girlfriend this year," Terra muttered back.

"Real girlfriend?"

"More than just a one night joy ride." Roxas scowled.

"Thanks for sharing." Terra chuckled and kissed Aqua on the cheek. Roxas made his way upstairs, running into Seifer on his way down.

"Watch it, chicken wuss!" he warned. Roxas ignored him and continued up the second flight of stairs. He found Axel in his room working on the floor. The rest of the surfaces were covered in large posters with various logo designs. Marluxia was talking loudly into his phone, arguing with someone over a group project.

"Back again, eh?" Axel asked with a smile.

"Yeah. There's another test coming up and I want to make sure I don't make any mistakes," Roxas explained.

"Then we'd better find somewhere else to work. He's been on the phone for three hours." Axel made a gun with his fingers and pulled the "trigger" with the barrel pointed at this head. Roxas smirked. Axel packed up some of his homework and they headed back downstairs. They set up on the coffee table in the living room. The only other person home was Riku and he was busy cooking.

Roxas worked on his own, only asking Axel questions when he was truly stuck. While Roxas worked, Axel reviewed a multitude of notes.

"Hey, you guys want anything?" Riku asked before he headed upstairs with his food. Roxas was about to protest but then remembered he needed to eat more until his weight was deemed healthy again.

"Sure," Roxas said. Riku went to the fridge and pulled out a soda. He gave it to Roxas before heading upstairs with his food. Roxas opened his soda with a snap and sipped at it. "You want some?" Roxas asked Axel, offering him the can. He stopped when he realized Axel was asleep on the couch. His notes lay sprawled on his stomach and his head sat on the armrest, his face resting against the side of the couch. Roxas smiled and put the soda down, returning to his work.

He skipped over the problems he had troubles with so he could Axel about them when he woke up. Roxas finished the rest of the problems before he was done so he pulled out his book for English Literature: Walden. It was dry but Roxas tried to absorb as much information as he could. He was halfway through reading the assigned pages when Axel sat up.

"Get your beauty sleep?" Roxas teased. Axel didn't respond. He quietly excused himself and went upstairs. Roxas watched him leave, curious about Axel's behavior. He continued reading and the sound of running water echoed from the upper levels. 'He's taking a shower?' Roxas asked himself. He shrugged it off.

When Roxas finished reading, he checked the time on his phone. 9:36. Axel was still in the shower. Roxas wondered how long he was going to take. Riku came downstairs a few minutes later and started doing dishes. Roxas went to the kitchen and sat on a stool, bringing his soda with him.

"How'd you get stuck here?" Roxas asked. Riku looked up from his dishes.

"There was an opening listed last spring. Some guy named Vexen graduated so I moved in during the summer."

"Do you like living here?" Riku shrugged.

"It's chaotic most of the time but I don't mind. Lexaeus doesn't say anything so we never argue."

"Have any friends on campus?"

"No. I live fourteen hours away from here so it's a bit of a drive. I come from a small town too. How about you?"

"I'm the only one from my class here. I grew up on the suburbs of a metropolitan area."

"How big was your graduating class?"

"700."

"Whoa! That's a big class. I graduated with thirteen."

"How can your class be that small?"

"You've never seen a small town school before?" Riku asked, glancing over his shoulder. Roxas shook his head. "Well, they're nothing special. I think we had fifty students in our high school. I bet you had at least 3000."

"2900."

"How'd you rank? I got third, but I suppose that doesn't look very impressive."

"I was one of six students who were up for valedictorian."

"Seriously?! Did you have to give a speech?"

"No. They didn't let me."

"They didn't…let you?" Riku looked up from his dishes. Roxas was staring sadly at his soda can, his eyes out of focus.

"No one wanted me there. When I left home, no one missed me." Riku wondered what it was like to be Roxas. He came from a small town where everyone knew everybody. He constantly kept in touch with his old classmates via e-mail and texts. Riku couldn't imagine what it would be like to leave high school with not a single friend to hang onto.

'It sounds like no one wanted him around. How could he get the entire school to turn their backs on him?' Riku went back to his dishes, leaving Roxas alone to his silence. Axel made his way back downstairs, his hair dripping.

"You're still here?" Axel asked, sounding shocked. Roxas looked up from his soda.

"Yeah. I still have questions."

"Oh, right." Roxas and Axel went back to the living room and continued to work on the harder math problems. As Axel leaned over Roxas's shoulder to study his work, Roxas felt a drop of water land on the back of his neck.

It was freezing cold.

XxXxX

Pence jumped at the sound of Roxas's phone ringing. He glanced up at his roommate. 'Still sleeping.' Pence stood and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Who's this?" the caller asked.

"Pence."

"Oh, right. Hey, do you know where Roxas is? He was supposed to show up here two hours ago. Is he alright?"

"Yeah. He's still sleeping. You're welcome to come over and wake him up."

"Can't you?"

"Can but won't. He gets scary mad when you wake him up before he wants to."

"Got it. I'll be over soon then. Would you like me to send a text?"

"Nah. I'll just watch out the window."

"Okay." The caller hung up. Pence put Roxas's phone down and waited for the caller to arrive. He peered out the window every five minutes. Finally, someone walked up the stairs that didn't look like a freshmen. Pence grabbed his keys and went downstairs to let him in.

"Thanks," Axel said as Pence held the door open to him.

"No problem." They headed upstairs. Pence packed up his towel and shampoo upon arrival, declaring he would be in the shower to avoid Roxas's wrath. Axel was soon left alone in the room with the sleeping boy.

"Roxas, time to wake up," Axel muttered softly. Roxas's back was turned. Axel poked the teen's shoulder. With a groan, Roxas rolled over. His hand flopped over the side of the bed. Axel was in awe over the sleeping teen. His face was so peaceful. Axel suddenly didn't feel like he should wake him, but then he remembered Roxas had an exam tomorrow and thought it be better to wake him. He poked the sleeping teen on the forehead.

"Rise and shine," he called. Roxas pinched his eyes shut before slowly opening them. He saw Axel's face smiling back at him. "Morning beautiful."

"Morning." Roxas closed his eyes again and Axel tussled his hair. Suddenly Roxas realized where he was. He sat up and smashed his forehead against the ceiling. "What the Hell are you doing here?!" he shouted. Axel burst into a fit of laughter.

"I came to wake you up. You seem bent on sleeping though so I almost left you behind." Roxas rubbed his head and checked his clock. 12:45.

"Shit." Roxas wasn't sure what he was more pissed at: Axel being in his room or the fact he slept through his alarm.

"You want some lunch?"

"I want you out of my room."

"No chance of that happening until you get out of bed." Roxas scowled and slipped out from his loft. He wore a Slipknot tank top and a pair of short black shorts.

"Happy?" Roxas growled.

"I'm always happy to see you." Roxas felt his face grow hot. "Get changed. I'll order some lunch and then we can head to the library like you wanted." Roxas grumbled as he fished around in his wardrobe for clothes. Axel ordered food from the Chinese restaurant. He even ordered food for Pence since he was nice enough to let Axel inside. When he hung up, he turned to see what Roxas was doing.

His heart froze and his stomach dropped.

A scar shaped almost like a spider web was on the center of his back. Roxas pulled his dark red long sleeved shirt over his head and the scar was gone. Axel really wanted to press Roxas for the details but he could tell Roxas was already pissed enough. His questions were going to have to wait.

Pence arrived when he was finished with his shower and came back to boxes of Chinese food. He was ecstatic Axel had bought him lunch. The trio ate mostly in silence. Axel and Pence made small talk while Roxas grumbled over his food. When they were done, Axel and Roxas took their leave. Roxas followed Axel to his car in the parking ramp.

Before Roxas could climb inside, he felt Axel lean against him from behind. His chin rested on Roxas's shoulder.

"What?" Roxas asked sharply.

"Are you putting on any weight?" Roxas felt his heart skip lightly as he sighed.

"Not really."

"What was the target weight you were supposed to achieve?"

"Ten pounds."

"And?"

"I've only gained four." Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas's waist. He could feel the teens ribs and muscle. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him.

"Have you been eating enough?"

"I'm never hungry."

"Oh really?" Axel tipped Roxas's head to the side and bit on the space between his neck and shoulder like a vampire. Roxas felt his face flush. His insides felt like they dropped to the floor. A tiny gasp escaped from his lips. Axel released Roxas and went to the driver side of the car. "You've got to eat more, doctor's orders. We can't have you wasting away."

Roxas felt his entire body shake. 'What's wrong with me? Why is it every time Axel does something weird I react like a little school girl? If it were anyone else I would have beaten the shit out of them. Why is he different?'

"Come on, Roxas. The library doesn't stay open forever," Axel called. Roxas snapped out of his daze and got into the car.

XxXxX

The time for Halloween had come. During the day, students walked around in a variety of creative costumes. Pence ran out of ideas so he just wore his sports jersey and went as a basketball player. Roxas refused to wear a costume of any kind. It wasn't his idea of fun. Halloween was on a Friday night so everyone was excited not to have the school the next day, especially the upper classmen.

Once classes were over for the day, Roxas headed over to Axel's apartment where he was joining the party for a Halloween pre-party get together. Upon his arrival, he was greeted warmly. Even Aqua and Selphie were there. There were some other people Roxas didn't recognize and was introduced to. Riku brought a friend named Sora with, who was extremely bubbly for a guy. Lexaeus brought a friend as well. Her name was Larxene. Her hair reminded Roxas of a bug. Finally there was Luxord. He was rather full of himself and was Zexion's older brother in grad school.

After Roxas was introduced, he found the party was one short. Axel wasn't there. When he asked Marluxia, he was told he was still doing homework in his room. Roxas went upstairs to find him working on another paper. Roxas sat on the floor and leaned against the drawers of his desk. Axel was too focused to speak. Roxas waited for awhile before he looked up at Axel. The man was completely absorbed in his work. Roxas wondered if Axel's trick worked in reverse.

He stood and leaned against Axel's hunched over back, resting his head on Axel's shoulder. He noticed Axel stopped typing for just a brief moment. 'Maybe it's not just Axel after all.' Roxas thought. He took out one of Axel's ear buds and stuck it in his own. A Japanese pop song played in his head.

"You and your weird music," Roxas muttered. "How can you even understand what they're saying?"

"That's the point," Axel replied flatly. Roxas looked at Axel's MP3 and found the song was called 'Hikari'. Axel spun through the music until it was playing the same song only in English. After listening to half of the song, Roxas spun through more of Axel's music, curious to what he listened to. He eventually found another album by the same artist as 'Hikari' only the song was called 'Passion'. Underneath was the English version called 'Sanctuary'. Roxas decided to listen to the version Axel preferred: the Japanese.

The song felt relaxing and nostalgic. Roxas closed his eyes and simply listened as Axel typed. With his ear against Axel's neck, he could hear the elder male hum alone to the song. Roxas felt himself smiling.

And so did Axel.

He stopped typing his paper and rested his head against Roxas's. He was surprised when he heard Roxas start to mutter the lyrics for the song in nearly flawless Japanese. 'He knows this song by heart?' Axel listened to Roxas sing quietly. His voice was beautiful, almost chilling.

They were interrupted by Marluxia, who stuck his head in the room. "There you are!" Roxas snapped upright, ripping the bud from his ear. Axel sighed and saved his paper. He wasn't going to get any more work done. "I have a gift for your Roxas." Roxas frowned.

"I'm already going to the party. What more do you want?"

"You need a costume to gain entry."

"Hell no."

"Close your eyes." Roxas reluctantly obeyed. Marluxia slipped something over his head and fastened something to his dog collar. "Okay, you can open them." Roxas opened his eyes to see Marluxia holding up a mirror in front of him. On his head rested a headband with cat ears on them. A silver bell hung from his dog collar.

"You made me a cat."

"Yes! You are simply adorable." Roxas was wearing his sleeveless sweatshirt and black cargo pants so he really did look like a cat. Axel smirked at him.

"Meow, kitty," he teased. Roxas hissed.

"Get your costume on you oaf. We have pictures to take before we go."

"Oh Hell no…" Roxas protested but it was no use. Marluxia dragged him downstairs so Axel could change. When Roxas came downstairs he could see everyone was in costume as well.

Marluxia was dressed as Princess Peach for some reason, dress, umbrella and all. Demyx was dressed as a mad scientist. Zexion was wearing a suit and top hat, cosplaying as an anime character. Lexaeus cheated and wore his doctor's uniform. Larxene was dressed as a vampire, fake fangs included. Sora was dressed in a black outside with a small pumpkin on his head and tiny black wings on his back. Riku wore a bikers outfit completed with leather jacket and pants. Seifer was dressed like Ike from Brawl. Terra wore an outfit that was supposed to be a sexy construction worker: hard hat, pants with suspenders, and no shirt. Aqua was dressed like a magic girl and Selphie wore a dress to imitate some actress Roxas didn't care about. Luxord was dressed like an old fashioned black jack dealer.

They waited for Axel to come down. As he entered the lower level, everyone turned to see his costume. Roxas felt his heart flip. 'Dear God, why is he dressed like that?' Axel was dressed in grunge and not just any grunge: steampunk grunge. His torn black shirt and pants were accented with dark brown leather and copper metal. He wore heavy black boots. Copper metal parts were clipped around his right arm, making look robotic. A pair of copper wings hung on his back, clinking with each step. His eyes were surrounded with heavy black liner and his lips were dark red. His hair was styled instead of the normal spikes. Axel had used a straightener to make his hair look flat. Half of his face was covered while the rest of his hair was pulled back behind his head.

"Wicked!" Demyx cheered.

"Nice job Seifer. Those turned out great," Marluxia complimented, motioning towards the copper accessories.

"Damn straight!" Seifer barked. Marluxia got everyone together for various pictures. Some were of groups and others individuals. When he wanted one of Roxas, the teen was very reluctant.

"Just one?" Marluxia begged.

"Fine," Roxas murmured.

"You have to pose."

"Why?"

"It's cuter that way." Roxas scowled. He raised his hands like paws. "Oh, come on. Actually try." Roxas sighed. He tipped his head to the side and raised one paw slightly above the other.

"Nyan." Marluxia snapped the picture, a bit baffled.

"Nyan?"

"Isn't that what cats say?"

"I guess…if they're made of Poptarts." Roxas sighed, wishing they would just get to the party. Everyone finally had enough pictures and headed outside. Three people crammed into the cab of Seifer's truck and the rest sat around the edge of the back. Axel sat closest to the cab and Roxas was next to him.

"You'd better hang on," Marluxia warned, gripping the edges of the truck tightly. The others did the same. Seifer slammed his foot on the accelerator and they sped off towards the school. Roxas clung onto the metal sides tightly. He glanced at Axel. His eyes were closed, lost in thought. His hair flew wildly in the wind around his face.

Roxas turned his gaze down to the truck bed. He noticed the tips of Axel's fingers were centimeters from his. Roxas inched his hand closer until he wrapped two of his fingers around Axel's. The red head opened his eyes and looked over at Roxas. The teen's gaze was on the truck bed. Axel smiled and gave Roxas's fingers a reassuring squeeze.

When they arrived at the main hall, everyone unloaded and Seifer went to park his truck. Music was pounding from inside. Everyone made their way inside and split up to various parts of the hall. Some went for food while others went to dance. The loud beat of the bass was comforting to Roxas but the pop music playing just made him cringe.

"Hey! You made it!" Pence pushed his way through the crowd with Hayner and Olette. Pence was still in his jersey. Olette was in a magic girl costume while Hayner wore an army uniform.

"Hey, Rox, nice costume," Hayner teased. Roxas scowled.

"Don't be mean, Hayner. I think he looks cute as a cat," Olette chipped in.

"Cute's not the word to describe him with." Olette stuck her tongue out at Hayner.

"We'll be around. Feel free to come find us if you want," Pence offered. The trio pushed their way back through the crowd.

"You should go hang with your friends," Axel suggested.

"You're my friend," Roxas reminded. Axel's eyebrows raised.

"Really?" Roxas bit his tongue and his scowl deepened. Axel ruffled his hair. "Don't be such a dead weight. We're here to have fun, remember?"

"I don't have fun."

"Then you should try it." Roxas wasn't sure what to do so he found himself following Axel most of the time. He tried not to stare at Axel as much as he could but his costume was just so appealing towards Roxas's emo vibe. They floated around the hall, talking to various groups of people and professors. In between they took food from the various buffet tables. Axel made sure Roxas cleaned his plate every time, leaving the teen feeling like a stuffed turkey.

As the night grew later, more of the upper classmen showed up before they left to go on their drinking escapades. Roxas sat sipping a punch at one of the back tables while Axel was off elsewhere. Marluxia slid into a seat next to him.

"Having fun, kitten?" Roxas hissed. "You need to have some fun. Why don't you go dance?"

"I don't dance."

"You don't dance or you don't grind?"

"Both." Roxas took another sip of his punch.

"Even if it was with Axel?" Roxas choked and punch sprayed across the table. He coughed to try and clear his lungs. Marluxia just smirked at him.

"Fuck off!" Roxas shouted over the music, ditching the table. Marluxia wasn't letting him go that easily. He grabbed Roxas by the wrist and dragged him into the mosh pit of dancing bodies.

"You dance tonight and you're debts repaid."

"If I didn't owe you money you would be so dead right now." The song changed to an upbeat techno beat. The mob parted as the expert dancers showed off their moves in the center of the circle.

"You should get in there!" Marluxia shouted.

"You wouldn't dare!" Roxas protested.

"Whoops!" Marluxia pushed Roxas and tripped him at the same time, sending him sprawling into the circle. He was closed off from any route of escape. He really didn't want to dance. As the music beat on, he closed his eyes. On watchers were confused by his lack of dancing.

Roxas took a deep breath. 'No one's watching. I'm alone. Here goes nothing.' Roxas moved farther into the circle and dropped to the floor.

The crowd roared. Roxas was break dancing. His legs swung around the floor wildly but in a graceful manor. Marluxia stood in shock. "Damn, the kid's good." Roxas popped off the floor and started interacting with the other dancers. They formed intricate combos and moves then sent the crowd in a frenzy. Roxas spun and found Aqua there.

"Hey!" she called. Roxas grabbed her hand and spun her around.

"You have to trust me."

"What? Um, okay…" Roxas spun her around faster and faster until she could barely keep her feet on the floor. Then he moved his hands to her waist and scooped her into the air so she was upside down over his head. Roxas leaned back and Aqua felt a sense of panic. Her feet touched the ground and Roxas vaulted over her head, flipping back onto his feet. The crowd cheered wildly and the song switched again. Roxas was left breathless. Aqua offered him a hand.

"That was great!" she exclaimed. "I've never felt such a rush."

"Sorry. I got carried away," Roxas apologized.

"Roxas! You have got to tell me where you learned to dance like that!" Marluxia demanded. Roxas wasn't sure what to say.

"Nice job out there," Axel commented, breaking through the crowd. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Roxas's face.

He was smiling.

It wasn't his usual smirk or half-hearted grin. It was a full open mouthed smile.

"Thanks." Axel went over to Roxas and ruffled his hair.

"Good kitty." Roxas's grin turned mischievous.

"Nyan!" He leapt at Axel, catching him completely off guard. Roxas bit down gently on his non-robotic arm.

"Killer cat on the loose!" Axel warned. He patted the top of Roxas's head. "Down, boy." Roxas let go, his canines flashing in the light. Axel dragged him away from Marluxia, who was still gushing over Roxas's dancing. Roxas wondered where Axel was leading him.

They made their way into a bathroom on the far side of the hall. It was devoid of anyone. Axel pulled Roxas into the handicap stall and locked the door. For once, Roxas was concerned. Axel pressed Roxas up against the wall. Their eyes stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Roxas's heart pounded.

"What are you getting at?" Axel asked.

"I don't understand." The elder male looked into the younger's face. It was devoid of his usual grim demeanor. For once, Roxas simply looked like a lost boy looking for something to hold onto.

"I'm not the type of guy to go chasing after other guys, but for some reason I keep coming back to you. I've given up so much for you and yet you're still your sour self. I don't know why, but I want to know more about you every second you're with me. When you're not, I can't concentrate. So I don't know what you're up to, but it's messing with my head. Either explain or knock it off." Roxas stared wide eyed at Axel. His heart felt like it would beat out of his chest.

"I…uh…" Roxas didn't know what to say. Axel leaned closer so their faces were practically touching. The eyeliner made Axel's eyes pop. Roxas wanted to die.

He reacted by lunging forward and biting down on the space between Axel's neck and shoulder. "Ow!" Axel hissed. Roxas didn't let go. Axel ripped his attacker off and slammed his head into the tile behind him. A piece cracked and sliced the back of Roxas's head. A thin trickle of blood ran down the wall.

"What the Hell is wrong with you?" Axel asked.

"I don't know." Roxas's body sagged.

Suddenly the door to the stall was kicked in. Axel whirled around to find a younger guy behind them. "What the Hell do you want?" Axel snapped. The man grinned. Roxas's eyes grew wide.

"Xaldin," Roxas gasped. He broke out into a cold sweat. The guy had black dreds pulled back into a pony tail and side burns.

"Roxas. I didn't expect to find you here. I also didn't think you would be so easy to forget what happened that spring two and a half years ago." Roxas's face paled. Axel stepped back from the teen and glared at the man named Xaldin.

"What's your problem?" Axel snapped.

"Axel, good to see you again. I see you've forgotten your past too." Axel stiffened.

"You! You're that jackass freshmen who kept pushing the Student Council to make my life Hell."

"So you do remember. I suppose you never heard of what happened to the school after you left."

"Shut up!" Roxas snapped.

"What are you talking about?" Axel asked.

"Oh Roxas, you can't hide your past from your friends. During our sophomore year, our school had a shooter incident. Fourty six students were injured. Fifteen students were killed. One was left critically injured." Roxas's mind flashed back to high school. His knees gave out as he desperately tried to block the images from his mind.

"No…there was so much blood…" Roxas whimpered. The bathroom door burst opened and the rest of Axel's party flooded inside.

"Axel, we were starting to…" Marluxia started. "What's going on?"

Xaldin turned to face the group. "The truth. You can't hide it from them Roxas. Tell them!" Xaldin barked. Roxas's body trembled violently.

"Leave him alone!" Riku shouted.

"It was spring," Roxas started quietly. "Just an average school day. Summer was only weeks away. They were going to go to the beach…"

"Roxas, stop talking!" Zexion cried.

"I let him get close. I trusted him. He took advantage of me. I was the first hostage. Xigbar went nuts and started shooting. I couldn't stop him."

"Roxas…" Demyx muttered, frightened.

"He had an automatic. He just let loose on the students in the hall. He took three more hostages. He tied me to a chair. One by one he shot them in front of me. Their blood wouldn't wash off. It never washed off!"

"Stop treating him like a murderer. He's a victim!" Terra shouted.

"No. He is a murderer," Xaldin clarified. "Go on Roxas."

"He forced me to pull the trigger," Roxas gasped. Tears fell from his eyes. "I shot my friends. I shot my teachers. I shot my girlfriend. Cloud, Leon, Aerith…I killed them all. Then he handed me the gun. There were only two rounds left. "One for me and one for you" he said. He forced the gun under his chin. I pulled the trigger. I killed him. I didn't want to live. I couldn't live. So I tried to end it."

"But you got lucky. Off all of those who were in critical condition, you were the one they chose to save. The little fucker who killed those who tried to save him. The school hated you, the city hated you, and your parents practically disowned you."

"SHUT UP!" Axel slugged Xaldin across the face and slammed him against the wall. "SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Roxas slowly got to his feet. He was like a zombie. Then he started laughing. He was soon in hysterics.

"I KILLED THEM ALL!" Roxas screamed, laughing. He ripped a shard of the broken tile from off of the wall and jabbed it into his left forearm. "I HAVE NO HEART! I'M A FUCKING NOBDY!" Roxas just kept laughing, his eyes wild. He dragged the shard down his arm, cutting his arm deeper and deeper.

Finally, Sora broke from the crowd and strode past Axel. He slapped Roxas across the face. Roxas was left stunned.

"You're not a nobody. You're Roxas, and that's all we care about." Sora lifted Roxas's arm and removed the shard of tile. Lexaeus walked over and took over.

"Axel, let him go," Marluxia commanded. Axel ground his teeth in irritation. "Axel!" The red head let go of Xaldin and let him leave.

"See you around, Roxas," Xaldin said before he left. Roxas was helped to his feet. Lexaeus and Sora tried to support him but Roxas could barely walk. Axel finally stormed over and picked him up bridal style.

"Seifer, go get your truck," Axel muttered, seething with anger.

"Yeah, I'm on it," Seifer replied. He left the group to go find his truck while Axel carried Roxas after him.

"Do you want me to come with?" Marluxia asked as Axel left.

"No. I just want to be alone," Axel growled. Marluxia respected Axel's space and backed off. Axel got into the front and held Roxas in his lap. The teen was lost in a shock induced daze. Seifer took off into the night for the hospital. He didn't want to hear Roxas's back story but it happened. Now he was finding himself feeling sorry for the kid.

'Damn kid. Why did his school have it all backwards? He was forced! That should count for something.' Seifer thought. He sighed.

"Roxas," Seifer called. The teen looked over at the driver. "You're no murderer. You're not the villain. You're the outcast, the fall guy. I was none of those. I stabbed a guy sixteen times back when I was in high school. I spent two years in juvey. I was the bad guy. I found my way around it. You're the victim. You can find your way past it too."

Deep in his mind, Roxas wondered why Seifer was telling him this. He had always been a jerk around Roxas so his empathy seemed out of place. As they continued on their drive, Axel leaned his head against Roxas. He kissed the crown of his head, wrapping his arms tighter around the teen. Roxas closed his eyes and let the night enclose his mind, rendering him unconscious.


	5. Chapter 5: Kiss with a Fist

"Roxas!" Leon called. Roxas shut his locker.

"Hey Leon," Roxas greated.

"You ready for the chemistry exam today?"

"I guess so." Leon laughed.

"You'll do fine. You always do."

* * *

"Who's he?" Cloud asked at lunch.

"The new kid," Leon explained.

"He looks like trouble."

"He can't be that bad," Roxas protested.

"You never know. Looks can be deceiving," Leon reminded.

"It can't hurt to say hello." Roxas stood and walked by the kid while bringing up his tray. "Hey."

"Sup," Xigbar replied.

* * *

"Try and focus, Xigbar," Roxas reminded as they sat in the library. Xigbar balanced a pencil on his nose.

"I'd rather do a hundred things than biology," Xigbar complained.

"You just have to think positive."

* * *

"Hey Roxas." Roxas shut his locker.

"Hey…Aerith." Roxas's face blushed.

"Are we still going out after school today?"

"Yeah! Where do you want to go?" Aerith giggled.

"The movies, remember?"

"Oh, right." Roxas chuckled and scratched the back of his head.

* * *

"Are you okay, Xigbar? You're kind of jumpy today," Roxas noticed.

"Nah, I've just got big plans for tomorrow," Xigbar explained.

"For a Wednesday?"

* * *

"Oh yeah. Big plans. You won't want to miss out."

"Sorry, Roxas. You're just a dead weight," Xigbar scoffed. Roxas stared at the gun in his face.

"What the Hell are you doing? You've lost your mind!" Roxas protested.

"No, just his school. Think about it, Roxas. No more teachers, no more books…"

"You're sick!" Xigbar grappled with Roxas. Roxas was over powered quickly. Xigbar pressed the gun into his hand.

"Feel that? That's real freedom." Xigbar held his free hand over Roxas's mouth, his arm chocking off his air supply.

* * *

Screams rose from the hall as the first wave of students fell to the ground. Panic rose as the code lockdown was initiated. Xigbar laughed wildly as he held Roxas at bay. He was taller than Roxas so the blonde could barely touch the ground with his toes when Xigbar stopped walking. His brain could hardly function as the air to his lungs was cut off. Then he passed out.

* * *

"Wakey wakey, Roxas. We still have so much to do," Xigbar chimed. Roxas struggled against the bonds holding him to the chair but the duct tape held firm. Xigbar kicked Roxas's right arm backwards, causing him to scream in agony.

In front of him, Cloud, Leon and Aerith were taped to chairs.

"Time to say goodbye." Xigbar forced Roxas's broken arm from its bond. Then he pressed the gun against Roxas's palm again. Xigbar put some pressure on Roxas's finger. The gun fired and Cloud was knocked backward, a bullet in his chest. Roxas cried but the tape over his mouth drowned out the sound.

Xigbar had him pull the trigger again, shooting Leon in the head. Then he dragged Roxas's chair closer to Aerith. He ripped off the tape from her mouth. "Beg!" Xigbar commanded.

"Roxas, I'm sorry," she whispered. "It's not your fault. I lo…" The bullet lodged into her throat. Aerith gurgled and blood splashed on Roxas's face.

"Excellent! Now it's time to finish the job. There's two bullets left, Roxas. One for me and one for you. You can do it. Come on, kill me. Look what I did to your friends. Roxas's hands shook. "Come on, kill me!" Xigbar shoved the gun under his chin. Roxas closed his eyes and pulled the trigger by his own free will. Xigbar fell in a shower of blood droplets. Roxas screamed.

There was one left.

Roxas pointed the gun at his chest and pulled the trigger.

* * *

He woke in the hospital six weeks later. Only one set of flowers sat on his bed stand.

* * *

The court ruled him not guilty. He was to do a hundred hours of community service.

* * *

The first day of school. His classmates would understand.

Hundreds of cold gazes.

"You killed them!"

"Murderer!"

* * *

He was beaten after school. The ritual continued.

* * *

Two weeks into school. His parents stopped talking to him. Roxas stopped leaving the house.

* * *

October. Roxas turned to the sounds of heavy metal to drown out the other students.

* * *

November. His emotions were locked away.

* * *

December. He changed everything about him. He was no longer the same person.

* * *

Graduation senior year. Five students gave speeches. One did not. The school forbad it. He was lucky enough to walk. When he name was called, there was silence. His parents hadn't even bothered to show up.

* * *

XxXxX

Roxas opened his eyes. He was still in the hospital. The memories of his past were haunting him again. 'Just when I thought they went away.' No one came to visit him. He felt a sense of déjà vu. He missed a week of school since he felt to real need to go back right away. Pence helped him keep up to speed but even he was worried about Roxas's change in condition.

Xaldin was banished from the campus. He was only visiting during the time of the Halloween party but Marluxia made sure he would never return to the campus. His words had hurt not only Roxas, but Axel as well. Axel was like a shell. Marluxia hadn't seen him act like that since he first met him. The nights Axel would quietly slip away to a cold shower grew larger.

Roxas returned to school in November. He didn't return to Axel's apartment. He went to the library for help with his math but only if he desperately needed it. Roxas didn't talk to Axel in English Literature. Roxas changed seats and ignored everyone. Sadly, Axel did the same. Axel never called, nor did Roxas. They never attempted to speak to each other. They were going out of their way to avoid each other. Roxas didn't care. He preferred to be alone. Axel felt torn. He knew it was better if they stayed apart, but every time he Roxas in class, his heart felt like it was being ripped in half.

The semester passed by and Roxas managed to get the grades he needed to pass with the 4.0 he needed to keep his scholarship. December was half way through when the semester ended. Roxas didn't go home for the holidays unlike the majority of the campus. The streets were quiet and empty as snow would softly fall, bringing in winter.

Pence was worried about Roxas being left behind the entire break so he decided to stay until Christmas eve to make sure he was alright.

Marluxia remained behind on the campus as well. He normally went home for the holidays but he didn't want to risk leaving Axel behind to do something irrational.

Roxas felt completely disjointed from the world. Nightmares kept him up at night and he didn't want to go to school. He didn't want to be anywhere.

Axel sat in the shower and let the cold water run. His hair clung to his cheeks. His mind couldn't block out images flashing in his brain. Axel wrapped his arms tighter around his knees and prayed they would leave him alone.

XxXxX

December 23rd. The eve before the eve. Roxas grabbed his car keys and slipped on his jacket. Pence was putting the finishing touches on his packing.

"I'm going to the store before it closes. You want anything?" Roxas offered. Pence felt a sense of relief wash over him as Roxas seemed to have returned to his normal self.

"Um, sure. Just pick up two of whatever you're having." Roxas nodded and headed out.

Pence pulled up a movie on his laptop. It wasn't until he was twenty minutes in he noticed Roxas had left his phone behind.

"That's weird. He never goes anywhere without his phone," Pence mused.

He grew more worried by the minute. It got to the point he couldn't concentrate on his movie. The store was ten minutes away. Roxas had been gone for an hour.

Two hours passed and Pence knew something was definitely wrong. He went to Roxas's phone. Axel's name was second behind someone called Aerith. Pence hit the call button. It took three times before Axel picked up.

"What?" he barked.

"Axel?! It's Pence."

"Pence? What are you doing with Roxas's phone?"

"Roxas isn't here. He went to the store and he hasn't come back. He left his phone behind."

"How long has he been gone?"

"Two hours, maybe two ten." Axel hung up. "Roxas, where are you?" Pence asked the phone.

XxXxX

Axel floored it out of the parking lot. He didn't care if he was wearing his flips flops when there was snow on the ground. He didn't care he was in a tank top and PJ pants. He didn't care he was driving 70 mph through campus. There was only one thing he cared about: finding Roxas.

Axel searched everywhere. All of the campus buildings were locked and most of the stores had closed for the holidays. The blonde was nowhere in sight. Axel swung through the parking ramp and found his car was missing. Axel wondered if he left campus. He headed towards the front gate, hoping he would find Roxas alive. Finally he spotted the white sports car on the bridge that led away from the campus. Axel got out of the car, not even bothering to turn it off. "Roxas!" he screamed. He ran across the bridge, the wind freezing his skin. He saw a figure farther down the bridge.

Roxas stood on the outside of the railing of the bridge. He watched the icy river flow beneath him. He didn't know how long he had stood there contemplating his choices. His fingers were numb from the cold. Roxas finally decided. He sighed, closed his eyes, and let go.

"ROXAS!"

He was grabbed from behind and forced backwards. His back crashed into Axel's chest. Axel's arms trembled as they held him tightly.

"Don't you dare jump!" Roxas realized Axel was sobbing. "I'll do whatever you want, tell you whatever you want, just don't jump. Please…I can't lose you too." Roxas stood still, unsure what he should feel: disappointment or gratitude. He glanced down at the river below him.

'Anoter day.' He thought. Axel buried his face in Roxas's hair. Roxas could feel the cold tears drip onto his scalp. Axel's grip tightened around Roxas.

"Roxas, if you want to go, then take me with you," Axel whispered. Roxas's eyes went wide.

"Don't be stupid!" Roxas protested, turned around in Axel's arms. He instantly wished he hadn't. Axel was a wreck. His eyes were red and puffy. The tears on his face had started to freeze and his small shoulders were shaking from the cold. Roxas climbed back to the other side of the railing. Axel let him go so he could move on his own but as soon as he was safe on the other side, he crushed Roxas in a hug. Tears streamed down his face.

Roxas pulled out of his grasp and unzipped his jacket. Then he put it around Axel's shoulders. It was too small for the tall man but it helped to keep him warm.

"Roxas…" Axel murmured. Another set of headlights pulled up from behind them. Pence jumped out of his van and sprinted over to them.

"Axel! Roxas!" he shouted. Axel clung to the jacket around his shoulders. Roxas avoided Pence's gaze. "Thank goodness you're alright." Pence put placed something in Roxas's hand. It was his phone. Roxas scowled and pulled his arm back to throw it. Someone caught his wrist, stopping him. Roxas turned to find it was Axel. He ripped his arm from Axel's grip and started walking towards the edge of the bridge again. Axel lunged at him, wrapping his arms so tightly around him Roxas couldn't move.

"Let me go!" Roxas roared.

"Not until you start thinking straight!" Axel barked.

"I am thinking straight!"

"No you're not!" Pence watched in horror as he realized what Roxas intended on doing. Axel was working like a strait jacket but Roxas was fighting back. Pence walked over to them. Then he slapped Roxas across the face. Roxas was shocked. Pence was a peaceful guy who never resorted to violence. Pence grabbed the front of Roxas's shirt, his face livid.

"You had better be in our room when I get back from holiday!" Pence shouted. "There's no way in Hell I'm getting another roommate. You were the first person I met here and for the first time in my life you didn't tease me. You didn't give me dirty stares. You treated me like an equal. Sure you were being all emo but I didn't care. I still don't. All I care about is our friendship. If you let go, then it's over. How does that make me feel? I'm not garbage, Roxas!" Roxas flinched as Pence spat out his name.

"Pence, I'm sorry. This had nothing to do with you."

"Roxas, stop being stuck in the past!"

"I'm not stuck in the past!" Pence grabbed Roxas's phones and showed him his contacts. Aerith, Cloud, and Leon were still there.

"They're dead, Roxas. Let them go."

"Who gave you the right to stick your fucking nose in my shit?!"

"When your shit became my problem!" Pence ripped the phone from Roxas's hand.

"What the Hell are you doing?"

"Helping you move on." Roxas's eyes went wide.

"Don't you dare." Pence hit the options key on Aerith's contact. "I will make your life Hell…" The option "Are you sure you want to delete this contact?" popped up on the screen. Roxas squirmed against Axel but he couldn't break free.

Pence hit yes.

Roxas screamed in rage. Strings of strong curse words rang from his mouth as Pence then went to delete Cloud and Leon's names as well. Tears fell from his eyes.

"You fucking bastard," Roxas growled. Pence scowled back at him.

"You have to move on, Roxas."

"I can't!"

"Then read this!" Pence dug a sheet of paper out of his pants pocket and shoved in in Roxas's face. It was a news article from a couple weeks ago. "I thought I recognized the name Aerith on your phone but I couldn't place where I saw it. Then I remembered reading this."

The article was a recap of the school shooting incident. The court had finished wrapping up the last of the cases related to the incident. Near the bottom were the names of all of the victims. Then there were quotes from the parents of the students. Roxas felt his insides freeze when he saw one was from Aerith's mother.

"I true tragedy. I cannot express the pain I feel every day now that my beautiful daughter is missing from this world," Roxas read silently. He turned his gaze away, his heart burning in pain. Pence turned the paper towards him and continued reading the quote aloud.

"For some, we were truly hurt. For others, traumatized. I can't come to understand how we put the blame on one child. For years we treated him like a martyr. When I look back, I realize now I had been wrong. We all were wrong. He [sic] was forced to pull the trigger on his friends and colleagues. He made the decision to destroy the monster that took our children away. If he hadn't done it, wouldn't have we? Having the shooters life be spared would not have made the situation any less painful. Having him killed won't bring our children back. I just want to make sure the community knows this: I don't blame Roxas for anything. If I could, I would wrap him up in my arms. Out of all of the students, his ordeal was the worst. We should honor him for his bravery, not scorn him for his lack of strength. And I think that was our greatest weakness. With the shooter gone we wanted someone to blame. We were wrong. Despite everything that happened, I will still gladly accept Roxas into my home with open arms, and an open heart."

Pence stopped reading and looked up at Roxas. The blonde teen was silent.

"I don't know what happened back then, but I like you for being you, Roxas. Flaws and all."

"Pence…" Roxas reached out and pulled his roommate into a hug. "Thank you," he whispered.

"You're welcome. Real friends aren't pricks to each other." A forced smile broke on Roxas's face. Roxas let Pence go and Axel relaxed his grip on Roxas.

"I'll see you January?" Roxas asked. Pence gave one of his signature sheepish smiles.

"You bet! I'll bring back so many Christmas cookies we'll have to roll to class."

"I look forward to it." Pence handed Roxas his phone back.

"Hey Axel." The red head looked up at the mention of his name. "Keep your eye on him while I'm gone." Axel nodded.

"Thank you," he mouthed. Pence grinned and went back to his van. Then he drove back towards the dorm. Roxas let out a sigh.

"You should get someplace warm," Roxas suggested softly.

"Will you be okay?" Axel asked.

"I think so. I just need some time to think. My head's still fuzzy."

"There's room at my place if you want to stay."

"'Kay." Axel let Roxas go and handed back his jacket.

"I'll follow you." Roxas walked back to his car and climbed inside. Axel followed him back to his apartment. When they opened the door, they were greeted with a trio of worried faces.

"Axel! You just took off and we were worried what happened!" Demyx exclaimed. Roxas took notice he had been holding hands with Zexion until the door opened.

"You both look terrible," Marluxia commented. "Come on. Hot showers for both of you." Marluxia ushered them upstairs. Roxas and Axel split at the stop of the stairs and showered off. Once they were warm and pink, they slipped into some clean clothes. Roxas wore some of Zexion's clothes since they were the closest in size. It consisted of a grey t-shirt and black shorts.

As Roxas stepped out of the steamy bathroom, he saw Axel heading back to his own with a different shirt. Roxas's eyes widened at the sight of Axel's chest. It was littered with tiny scars. When Axel turned his back, there was a large scar down his spine. Axel slipped inside the bathroom and shut the door.

Marluxia had Roxas stay in his room so he could keep an eye on both of the troubled pair. Roxas cleared off Axel's bed and sat down. He shivered as the cool apartment air brushed against his skin. Roxas slipped under the covers and settled down. It was the first time he was in someone else's bed. Axel's pillow had a spicy scent to it. He started dozing off.

He wasn't sure how long it was until he felt the covers being drawn back. Roxas was half asleep. He felt something warm being pressed against his forehead. Roxas cracked open his eyes to see Axel lying next to him. He settled down and let out a drawn out sigh. Roxas closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

XxXxX

Roxas woke up warm and rested. For once his dreams weren't plagued by blood and screams. He buried his head into the sheets. There was movement behind him. Roxas remembered Axel was sleeping there next to him. He suddenly realized Axel was sleeping really close to his back. They were practically touching. When he tried to scoot an inch to the left, he found his way was barred by Axel's arms wrapped around his waist.

Roxas felt his face flush. 'Does Axel know or did this happen on accident?' Roxas wondered. He sloppily rolled over so he was facing the sleeping man. Axel's face looked strained. Roxas poked his finger on Axel's nose. The man's face twitched. Then he groaned loudly.

"Go away, Marluxia," he grumbled.

"Axel, it's me," Roxas clarified. Axel cracked open an eye.

"Oh. Morning Roxas."

"Do you mind letting me go?"

"Eh?" Axel noticed his arms were wrapped around the blonde's waist. "Oh. Sorry." Axel snaked his arms out from underneath Roxas and rolled onto his back.

"Axel?"

"Hmm..."

"What happened back in high school?"

"What do you mean?"

"All I remember was something happened during Christmas break my freshmen year. Before then you were the loud, popular guy in the senior crowd. After, not so much." Axel blinked, thinking back to high school.

"Weren't you the kid who stopped to talk to me as I was leaving?" Roxas's cheeks blushed lightly.

'He remembered.' "Yeah." Axel chuckled.

"Now I remember. You were different back then. You had this innocent cuteness about you." The blush on Roxas's face deepened. Luckily, Axel was staring at the ceiling. "First you have to tell me where you learned to dance."

"I used to go clubbing a lot with my friends. My friend, Cloud, and I started training professionally. We did some competitions before…well, before he died." Roxas's face fell.

"I see." Axel sighed. "I was kind of an idiot in high school. I would go to parties and drink. You know, stuff the cool kids did." Axel glanced at Roxas. His blue eyes stared back at him. "I was at a Christmas party. My friend, being the responsible one, wasn't supposed to drink. He got him to drink a few before we headed home. I was too wasted to drive so he kept to his word and drove me home. The roads were slippery that night. I just remember he over corrected and we were sent flying into a guard rail on the back road with the cliff. I was smart and wore my seat belt. My friend wasn't. He was ejected and I rolled helplessly down the cliff.

"When I came to, I was in the hospital in critical condition. I overheard my friend had died on impact with a tree, which had impaled him through the chest. By the time the paramedics came, my blood alcohol level was normal so they never knew we had been out drinking. I had a spinal cord injury so I went through eighteen hours of surgery.

"After the break, that Xaldin kid pushed the Student Council on me to turn myself in. They knew I had been drinking and thought I deserved juvey. I finally couldn't take it anymore and changed school over spring break. I met Marluxia there and we became friends. I met Demyx during my first semester here in a Music Literature class. He became friends with Zexion the next year and we moved out here. You can pretty much figure out the rest."

"What was your friend's name?" There was a pause before he answered.

"Saïx. We were childhood friends."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"Right." Roxas curled up tighter under the covers.

"Say, how do you know that one song?"

"Which one?" Roxas asked.

"Passion. It takes me ages to make out the lyrics to new songs, not to mention those in a different language. You seemed to know the song by heart."

"It's stupid." Axel rolled so he was facing Roxas.

"Try me."

"It was our senior song, or at least the English version was. I didn't know what the song was so I looked it up. One of the recommended links was the Japanese version. I sort of looped it until it would get stuck in my head. When they played it during the graduation ceremony, all the students started singing along. Being the rebel, I sang the Japanese version just to rub it into their faces."

"You have a good voice. I'm sure you out sang everyone there."

"Under my breath?" Axel leaned in close so their foreheads were touching.

"Even then." Roxas felt his face flush softly. "Roxas."

"Yeah?"

"You're doing it again."

"Doing what?" Axel rolled so he was on top of Roxas. Roxas's heart beat quickened, pounding in his ears.

"You're so innocent. I can't help it that I find it attractive."

"I…uh…um…" Roxas couldn't think again. He kept losing himself in Axel's eyes. 'Why can't I think when he looks at me like that?' Roxas swallowed hard. Axel intertwined his fingers with Roxas's, pressing their palms together.

"It's almost like you want me to come after you." Roxas felt his heartbeat get even faster. His breathing became shaky. Axel leaned his head down so their foreheads touched. Roxas leaned upwards and their lips met. When Roxas pulled back, Axel stared at the teens face. It looked like a lost puppy seeking his master's approval. Axel smirked.

"You know what? Fuck society," Axel growled. He pulled Roxas into a deep kiss. Roxas closed his eyes.

'Oh God, what am I doing?! I'm kissing a guy, Axel for that matter! But DAMN does it feel good.' They deepened their kiss. Roxas slipped his hands from underneath Axels and wrapped them around his neck. Axel ran his fingers through Roxas's hair.

When they broke apart, they were breathless. Roxas's cheeks were bright red while Axel's had a light blush dusting them.

"Axel?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah?"

"I…I think I like you," Roxas whispered. Axel raised an eyebrow. He leaned forward and kissed Roxas on the neck. Roxas let out a small gasp as he licked a sensitive spot.

"You want to know what's funny?" Axel asked.

"What?" Roxas asked, his breathing heavy.

"I think I like you too." Roxas felt like his body melted. He let out another strangled gasp as Axel continued to devour his neck.

"Don't ruin your appetite on Roxas now." Axel shot up in surprise, Roxas propping himself up on his elbows. Marluxia was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed across his chest and a smirk on his face.

'Shit!' Roxas thought.

"You two ready for breakfast?"

"Um, yeah. We'll be down in a minute," Axel replied. Marluxia rolled his eyes and left them to head downstairs. Axel rubbed the back of his head. "I guess that was a bit uncalled for," he muttered. Roxas sat up fully and kissed Axel under his jaw. Axel's eyebrows shot up.

"Our secret," Roxas stated. Axel smirked.

"You got it, Roxy." Axel kissed him on the lips one last time, drawing it out for as long as he could. Then he got out of bed and headed for the kitchen. "Let's eat!" Roxas jumped out of the bed and hurried after him, a smile kissing the corners of his lips.


	6. Chapter 6: Peppermint Winter

Christmas.

Normally Roxas wasn't a fan of the holiday. All of the holiday cheer made him want to puke. Yet he found himself enjoying the holiday with the other four older students. Demyx and Zexion had spent two hours making a huge spread for breakfast. Pancakes shaped like snowmen and pine trees were covered in homemade honey butter. Bacon, eggs, and sausage links were put onto platters while a tower of muffins stood in the center of the counter. The muffins were green and filled with cranberries, flavored with almond and orange.

Everyone ate twice their fill of delicious food. It was like one big party in the house. Christmas music blared on the radio, everyone singing along to the songs. After breakfast they enjoyed cups of hot chocolate and eggnog covered in whipped cream and cinnamon.

They then ventured outside to have fun in the snow. It wasn't warm enough to stick together but they had fun all the same. They made plenty of snow angels and played ultimate Frisbee in the park. By the time lunch time arrived, everyone was wet, tired, and grinning ear to ear. They ate sandwiches and sodas. Afterwards they made sugar cookies in a multitude of shapes. Marluxia out shined them all with his artistic skills when it came to decorating the tasty morsels. While they ate their creations, they made homemade caramel and had a second round of holiday beverages.

There was a short period of gift exchanges. Marluxia had bought Roxas a new dog collar. This one was red with silver spikes. Axel had bought Marluxia new art supplies. Zexion got Demyx a slew of CD's and Demyx got Zexion an entire Manga series.

After gifts, they settled down in the basement to watch a movie double feature. Zexion leaned against Demyx most of the time. Roxas started off sitting on Axel's lap but ended up falling asleep. He rested peacefully on the couch with his head on Axel's thighs.

"So what's up with you two?" Demyx asked as the climax of the movie boomed through the speakers. Roxas slept through the entire thing.

"What do you mean?" Axel asked, sipping his eggnog.

"Are you, like, a couple now? Or are you just being snuggly?" Axel thought about it for awhile.

"Snuggly?"

"You took way too long to answer that," Zexion pointed out. Axel threw up his hands in defeat.

"Ooh, so spill! Did you convert?" Demyx asked.

"Yeah, you got me," Axel admitted. Demyx whooped. "Keep it down, the kids asleep."

"I wonder what he's done to him," Zexion whispered to Demyx, who went into a fit of giggles.

"He just had him as a pre-breakfast appetizer," Marluxia commented.

"Hey!" Axel protested.

"Marluxia, how much will it take for you to spy on them?" Demyx asked.

"Hell, no. No one's spying on me."

"You're no fun," Zexion pouted.

"This is secret, okay? No one else gets to know about this."

"Got it! You're secrets safe with us," Demyx promised. Axel stroked Roxas's hair softly. He still loved how perfect Roxas looked when he slept. It was almost as if he were a fallen angel.

Roxas woke up at the end of the second movie. He was bleary eyed and dazed. "Unnhh…" he groaned, sitting up.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," Marluxia teased.

"Did I miss the movie?" Roxas asked.

"Movies, more like it," Demyx commented, chewing on a cookie.

"Oh." He leaned against Axel's side and rested his head on his shoulder. "What are we watching now?"

"The credits," Axel teased as the movie faded to black and white letter appeared of who directed the film.

"Sorry, I fell asleep."

"It's cool. You ready for more food?"

"More?" Demyx laughed, nearly choking on his cookie. Roxas groaned.

"We're doing fondue," Marluxia explained.

"Unless he'd rather eat Axel," Zexion teased. Roxas's face turned bright red.

"What are you talking about?" he protested, sitting up straight.

"Oh, just you two being snuggly," Marluxia teased. Everyone laughed except for Roxas, who was left confused. "Don't worry, those two goons won't spill."

"How do you know?"

"Simple: they stick to the closet." Roxas was even more confused.

"Wait, they're dating?" Demyx fell into hysterics.

"Took you long enough!" he cried, wiping tears from his eyes. Roxas's face turned an even deeper shade of red. Axel lifted his chin and smirked at him.

"You're so cute when you blush," Axel murmured. Marluxia stood and stretched.

"I'll be upstairs getting supper ready," he announced. "You two come along," Marluxia said, motioning towards Demyx and Zexion.

"Oh, but it was getting good!" Demyx protested.

"If you want to watch porn then go to your room." Roxas's face looked panicked and red. Axel laughed heartedly.

"Why watch when we can…" Zexion started.

"Too much information!" Marluxia interrupted. Zexion snickered. He and Demyx headed upstairs to help Marluxia get supper ready. Roxas turned his gaze to his hands in his lap. Axel put an arm around his shoulder.

"How are you doing?" he asked, his tone serious.

"I like it here. You guys are fun to be around. Honestly, it's been the best Christmas in a long time," Roxas replied.

"We still have tomorrow too. It's only Christmas Eve today."

"I know but Christmas at home always lacked luster."

"You've never really spoke about your home."

"There's not much to say. You grew up there to."

"Yeah, but what about your family?"

"My dad works all day and my mom travels."

"Siblings?"

"Two."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I have a younger brother and sister."

"Do tell."

"Well, Naminé's just starting high school. She's fourteen. She loves drawing and ice cream. Ventus is..." Roxas thought about it for a couple of seconds. "…seven I believe, although he might be eight now that I think about it. He's so bouncy. He just wants to try everything. What about you?"

"I have an older sister, Xion. She moved to another country and she's doing teaching there."

"How old is she?"

"Twenty eight. She was always off on adventures when we were growing up. I guess she still is."

"How old are you exactly, Axel?" Roxas wondered.

"Twenty two. My birthdays in April. Let me guess, you're eighteen?"

"Nineteen. I'm a year ahead."

"Gotcha. Birthday?"

"May."

"We'll have to celebrate then."

"You don't have to do that."

"Why?" Axel tipped his chin up so he was looking in his face. "Doesn't Roxy want a little birthday sex?" Roxas's face turned white followed by deep red.

"Uh…well…" Axel chuckled and kissed Roxas on the forehead.

"You don't have to decide now." The color on the teens face lessened. "Would you ever want to live here with us?"

"I can't. I have to stay in the dorm my first year."

"I meant for next year. I still have two years to go. Lexaeus is going to a big medical school out east somewhere and Terra's graduating. We'll have a couple of spaces open. Riku was thinking of inviting Sora to come stay here, so the second offer is up to you."

"I'll do it."

"Really?"

"I want to be here…with you…" Roxas turned his gaze to the floor. Axel smiled softly.

"We'll have to figure out room arrangements. Riku and Seifer don't get along so it's either you and Riku or you and Seifer."

"I can room with Seifer. He's not so bad."

"O-kay. If you think you can handle him then we can work it out."

"If he ever gets annoying I can always come see you."

"Damn straight." Axel kissed Roxas on the mouth, savoring him. He tasted like sugar. Roxas melted under his touch. They fell back on the couch, Axel ending up on top.

"Wow, he really does eat Roxas," Zexion whispered. The trio was hiding silently on the stairs.

"They're still getting used to each other. Just wait until they get kinky," Demyx replied.

"You better watch out Marluxia. Your room's going to turn into a sex dungeon," Zexion teased.

"Like yours isn't?" Marluxia replied. Demyx and Zexion grinned. "Let's give them a couple of minutes. The food can wait." The trio crept back up the stairs silently.

Axel was having fun teasing Roxas by kissing his neck again. Roxas could only lie there and keep telling his lungs to breath. Axel nibbled gently on his nerve and Roxas moaned unconsciously. He could feel Axel's lips smile mischievously. Axel's hand slid up under his shirt. He traced the scar on Roxas's chest.

"Did it hurt?" Axel whispered in his ear.

"Yes," Roxas breathed.

"Does it hurt now?" Roxas shook his head. "We're a couple of lucky guys. Maybe it was fate that brought us together."

"Maybe." Roxas buried his face in Axel's shoulder. Axel flopped down on top of him, pinning Roxas to the couch with his body weight. Axel was heavy but it felt like a warm blanket. Axel rested his head in the space behind Roxas's nestled head. Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel's waist and Axel wrapped his around Roxa's shoulders. They lay there silently, listening to each other's breathing.

"Are you hungry?" Axel asked.

"Not yet." Roxas turned his head around so he was facing Axel. "What are we doing tomorrow?"

"Marluxia has a tripped planned out for us. We're going off campus to a hotel with a water park. He thought it would be fun for the four of us to go but you're welcome to tag along."

"Okay."

"We'll have to share a bed. We only got two rooms."

"Then I can't wait." Axel grinned and closed his eyes. "You can't possibly be comfortable sitting on top of me."

"It's like hugging a giant teddy bear, only skinnier."

"Hey, I've gained some weight," Roxas protested.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"How much?"

"Six pounds."

"Since last time or total?"

"Since last time. Ten in all."

"It took you two months to gain ten pounds? Roxas, you'll waste away before you get to a healthy weight again. I'll just have to stuff you like a turkey."

"I'd better learn to gobble then."

"Nah, I'd rather hear your sexy cat meow."

"Nyan?"

"That's the one." Roxas let go of Axel with one arm and raised his fist to his face like a paw.

"Nyan?" he called softly. Axel opened his eyes to see Roxas posing.

"Oh, God you're adorable!" Axel proceeded to kiss Roxas breathless.

XxXxX

As the night set in, the boys gathered outside to watch the snow fall. The full moon shone brightly from behind the clouds. The sky turned orange as the lights from the city reflected off of the clouds, making the night glow.

Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas's waist tighter. Demyx and Zexion went inside after awhile to have some time by themselves. Marluxia sat on the curb with a strawberry Pocky in his mouth.

"Merry Christmas, Roxas," Axel whispered, watching a snowflake land on the teen's nose.

"Merry Christmas, Axel," Roxas replied.

XxXxX

After they had lunch, everyone packed up a bag and they piled into Axel's car. They stopped by Roxas's room so he could get his bag packed and they headed off of campus. Marluxia sat up front to help Axel with directions. Roxas was stuck between Demyx and Zexion. Demyx was lost in his music while Zexion merely read a book. Roxas eventually leaned back against the seat and put on his headphones.

It took three hours to get to the hotel. When they arrived, they found it was busy with holiday travelers. They checked into their rooms and changed into their swim suits. Roxas's was black and white checkered. Axel's was black with flames on it. Marluxia's was white with sakura blossoms. Demyx's was light blue and Zexion's was dark grey.

They headed for the water park. People of all ages were there. Marluxia had to coax Axel and Roxas to take their shirts off. "It won't due to get them wet. You'll ruin them," he reasoned. Finally, the duo removed their shirts. Demyx and Zexion started a bet on who would have more stares: Axel's scars or Roxas's. From the front Axel was less daunting. He only had a myriad of small scars. The large scar running down his spine sent shivers down onlookers. Roxas's just looked painful. The back was back with the web shaped design of darkened tissue but the front was worse. Over the web design was a large white X from where he had surgery.

They spent hours roaming around the park, going down the various water slides, and playing water basketball. They took a break for snacks and then stayed until the park closed. They all went back to their rooms to shower and relax.

Marluxia handed Axel his credit card. "What's this for?" he asked while Roxas was in the shower.

"In case you want room service. It's on me. I'll be down at the spa having a massage. I should be gone for at least an hour. You two have fun while I'm gone because I don't want to see anything kinky when I get back tonight. Save that for school." Axel tossed the card onto the night stand and lay back on his bed.

"Thanks. Go enjoy yourself."

"I plan to." Marluxia tossed his hair and left the room. Axel was left in the room alone with Roxas in the shower. He was wearing a pair of PJ bottoms and no shirt. The water turned off and Axel waited for Roxas to finish. He emerged from the steamy bathroom five minutes later with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey," Axel replied, eyeing the towel.

"Where's Marluxia?" Roxas used a small hand towel to attempt to dry his hair.

"Out. He'll be back later." Roxas turned to look at Axel.

"How much later?"

"An hour." Roxas took a moment to think. He eventually tossed the towel on his head onto the TV. Then he strode over to Axel and sat on top of him. "What are you playing at?" Roxas smirked and leaned down to whisper in Axel's ear.

"Is there anything about having sex on the first date?" This time it was Axel's turn to blush.

"Um, I thought we might wait for that. You know, save it?" Roxas kissed his neck.

"You're no fun." Axel sat up and faced Roxas. He studied the teens face.

"Where's the real Roxas? You're never like this when we make out. What's with the emo Roxas all of a sudden?"

"Just changing things up." Roxas bit down on the base of Axel's neck. The red head tensed. Roxas licked it tenderly, gliding his hands down the scar on Axel's spine. He kissed the base of Axel's neck and slowly made his way up to his jaw bone. Axel's throat hummed, like he was purring. Roxas kissed Axel's lip and then dipped his tongue inside his mouth. It was hot. Roxas's tongue twisted around Axel's. When he pulled back for air, Roxas's face was of that of his darker emo self. His smile was mischievous.

"What?" Axel asked. Roxas kissed his jaw bone again only on the other side.

"If my innocent face turns you on so bad, you should find a way to turn me on," Roxas whispered in a raspy voice. It sent a chill down Axel's spine.

"Dark Roxas, eh? I think I can dig that." Axel's face hardened. Then he flipped them over so he was on top. Axel dug in on Roxas's neck and growled. "So this is why you couldn't keep your eyes off of me at the Halloween party. I must've looked like a piece of manna to your little emo ego."

"You have no idea. It took everything I had to keep from drooling."

"Oh really?" Axel slid off of Roxas and went into the bathroom. Roxas sat up, curious to what he was doing. When Axel came back out, he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. He wore heavy black eyeliner and his hair was pulled back. Around his neck was Roxas's favorite dog collar. "So?" Roxas slipped off of the bed and dug through his pack. Then he slipped inside the bathroom. Axel waited until for quite awhile before Roxas re-emerged.

"Ever curious to what I looked like in high school?" Roxas asked before stepping outside. His hair was slightly different but it was still spikey. Black eye liner traced his eyes. A round onyx piercing stuck out from under his lip. It was red around the edges from where he re-pierced it himself. Roxas wore a pair of ripped shorts, his new red dog collar, and several bracelets.

Axel's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Wow. You almost look scary." Roxas laughed. He strode over to Axel and poked the dog collar on his neck.

"It suits you."

"You think?" Roxas nodded. He pressed Axel against the wall and began to devour his neck. Axel wasn't sure if he liked the emo Roxas or not. That is until licked his chest. Axel got the chills as Roxas licked his sternum. The teen licked his lips.

'Is this what I look like when I come onto him?' Axel wondered. Roxas pressed himself against Axel, bombarding him with a fierce make out session. Axel found the darker side start to grow on him. He rolled and pinned Roxas against the wall. Roxas climbed onto him and wrapped his legs around his waist. Axel had to use the friction of the wall to keep his friend perched since his hands were busy running through Roxas's hair and tangling into his fingers.

"Axel," Roxas whispered between breaths. Axel dipped is tongue to the back of Roxas's throat and pulled back.

"What now?"

"I'm hungry."

"Are you? Can't I satiate your clawing stomach?" Roxas smiled wickedly.

XxXxX

Marluxia made his way back to his room. He felt fresh and relaxed. All he wanted was a good night sleep and then his Christmas would be complete. When he came up to the door, he heard something crash. At first he thought it came from Demyx's and Zexion's room, but when he stopped in front of his door he could hear the noise was indeed from his room. He hesitantly unlocked the door.

The room was an absolute mess. Axel had ordered food but half of it ended up on the floor. Sheets were kicked in all directions and belongings were spewed everywhere. Marluxia looked around cautiously. He spotted Roxas sitting up from behind the bed. A trail of saliva dripped down his swollen bottom lip and dripped off his chin.

"Are you two almost done?" Marluxia asked. Axel sat up on his elbows. The two looked like a pair of raccoons. Their eyeliner had smudged from being rubbed off and smeared from their sweat. Various red scratches could be seen on their arms, chests, and backs.

"Yeah," Axel exhaled breathlessly. "Twenty minutes." Marluxia rolled his eyes.

"Alrighty then." He took his leave, to find the bar for a drink.

Roxas turned to Axel. "Do you want to stop?" Axel pulled on Roxas's hair, exposing his neck. He licked it, causing Roxas to moan.

"You heard him. We have twenty minutes." Axel found a piece of cantaloupe on the bed and held it in his teeth. Roxas dove for it, and they shared the treat together. Axel felt Roxas rack his nails down his back. He let the painful pleasure run through his body. Axel slid his hands father down into Roxas's shorts, digging his nails into his ass.

"God you make me burn!" Roxas gasped, pinning Axel to the floor once again.

XxXxX

The next morning Roxas and Axel woke up sore. Their scratches burned and Roxas's lip had nearly double in size. Marluxia suggested he see a doctor to make sure it wasn't infected. They met up with Demyx and Zexion for breakfast. Then they checked out and headed back to the campus. Roxas sat in the back again and listened to his music, reliving the memory of the previous night in his mind. It brought a smile to his lips.


	7. Chapter 7: Dearly Beloved

The new semester started with the bitter cold of the New Year. Marluxia had bought a ton of sparklers so the guys spent the better part of four hours running around the parks waving them. Students poured back onto the campus and school picked up again. Roxas was sad not to have a class with Axel for the spring but he was welcome to visit him whenever he wanted.

Pence greeted Roxas with a hug and six boxes of cookies upon his return to campus. The boys spent most of the night pigging out on the variety of treats: gingerbread, sugar, sprits, Russian tea cakes, krum kaka, and raspberry sandwiches. By the time they retired for the evening, they were laughing themselves silly from the overdose of sugar and comical movies. Pence commented on Roxas's lip piercing. Roxas had visited several places to make sure his lip wasn't infected and to have the piercing redone professionally.

Classes started and the snow continued to fall. Roxas was swamped with homework but he always made time to visit his favorite friend on the weekends. February soon struck and the weather was as cold as ever. With the coming of February meant one thing: Valentine's Day.

Roxas felt overwhelmed since he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do for Valentine's Day. It was usually a holiday for girls to profess their love for their favorite male counterparts. Neither Roxas or Axel were girls. With a sigh, Roxas came to one conclusion: he was going to have to ask Demyx or Zexion for help.

It was February 3rd. Roxas still had a few days to figure out what he was going to do. He drove over to the apartment deep in thought. Somehow he had to ask for advice without Axel finding out. Upon his arrival, he found a random girl sitting in the kitchen. Riku was busy cooking again. Roxas pointed to her and Riku motioned towards the upper floors with his eyes.

'Seifer…right.' He heard music from the basement and crept down the stairs. He was greeted with laughter.

"How are you beating me?" Demyx complained.

"Mad skills!" Axel replied. Roxas found them playing Just Dance to Take it Off. They looked rather silly.

"Hey guys," Roxas greeted.

"Roxas! You've got to play this," Demyx called.

"You'll get stomped," Axel reminded.

"Maybe I've been holding back." Axel snorted.

"R-I-G-H-T."

"Hey Demyx, have you seen Zexion? There was something I wanted to ask him," Roxas asked.

"He's in our room. Go on in," Demyx stated.

"Thanks." Roxas headed back upstairs and made his way up to the top floor. Odd sounds were sounding from Seifer's room as he passed through the level. Roxas tried to drown out the sounds in his head with little avail. He reached the top floor and took a left at the end of the hall. Demyx's and Zexion's room was a lot like Axel's and Marluxia's: small, dark, one window with the shades drawn, and stuff everywhere. Instead of Marluxia's projects, there were books and CD cases. Demyx had an impressive sound system on his desk and his sitar sat propped at the base of his bed. Zexion's half was a little neater and had two large shelves filled with books.

"Hello Roxas," Zexion greeted.

"Hey. I had a question."

"About what?" Zexion put his book down and pulled his feet up onto his chair.

"It's Axel. See it's almost Valentine's Day…"

"And you don't know what to do?" Zexion guessed.

"Yes!" The elder boy chuckled.

"It's okay. We're all a little lost on our first Valentine's Day. You'll get used to it. Maybe you should just go on a date."

"With just the two of us?"

"Of course. You could have Demyx and I tag along but you wouldn't want to know the details."

"Right. Is there someplace Axel might want to go?" Zexion thought about it.

"I'd ask Marluxia. He would know more than I would."

"Okay. What about presents? Do I have to get him one?"

"If you want. Demyx and I usually exchange gifts but it's really up to you. Anything else?" Roxas shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He let out a long sigh.

"Does it, you know, hurt? Is it weird?" Zexion stood and shut the door to his room. He took Roxas by the hand and sat him down on his bed.

"Are you really that committed?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"I'm not sure. If I just sit here and think about it I'd say no, but when we're together, I just lose myself. I just don't want to hurt Axel."

"Quite honestly, I'd be more worried about you."

"Me?"

"Who's usually on the bottom?"

"Me."

"Then I'd be worried about you."

"Oh. What about you?"

"We switch around." Zexion started picking lint from his comforter. "To answer your question, I would say yes but at the time it happens, any sort of sensation is turned around in your brain." Roxas thought back to the water park and the scratches on their bodies. While they were making out they felt great but when they woke up they stung like Hell.

"Alright. Thanks Zexion."

"The pleasure was mine." Roxas took his leave from the room and headed across the hall. Marluxia was staring blankly at his computer screen.

"Hey," Roxas greeted.

"If you want information about Axel's it's going to cost you," Marluxia said without moving his eyes from the screen. Roxas stopped short.

"How'd you…?"

"Know? Because I gave the same offer to Axel. Left him scratching his head." Marluxia popped a strawberry Pocky into his mouth and chewed slowly like a hamster.

"How much?"

"We're going clubbing once Valentine's Day's over, the 16th. You'll have to come along."

"I could do that."

"Good. I'll give you more details once the date gets closer. Now, what is it you wish to know?"

"Is there somewhere where Axel would want to go out to eat, as in like a date?" Marluxia chewed on his Pocky thoughtfully.

"I can think of two. One you can't go to since you're not of legal age. The other's called Martin Steinz. It's someplace he's always wanted to try. You can try there."

"Thanks, Marluxia." The pink hair man waved his hand, dismissing the teen.

"Don't forget to make a reservation!" Marluxia called as Roxas left the room. He sighed once he was alone. "Looks like it's just you and me again this year, my delicious friend," he said, talking to his Pocky. The delightful treat didn't respond. Marluxia sighed again and stuck another stick into his mouth.

Roxas made his way back down the stairs. He paused on the second floor. After seeing Zexion's room, he was curious to what the others were like. He decided to start with Riku's room since the door was open. Roxas knocked and Riku looked up from his food.

"Hey!" Riku called. He turned down the volume on his TV. "What's up?"

"I here you're going to invite Sora to come live here next year."

"Oh, yeah. Lexaeus is moving out. I guess I won't mind since he's rarely here anyway. Are you thinking of taking the other open spot?"

"Yeah. Axel invited me."

"Cool. It'll save you money on gas. Are you going to room with me or Seifer then?"

"I'll room with Seifer. Sora seems too nice to room with a goon like him." Riku snorted.

"Goons a nice word for him. I can't ever seem to get past his thick head. Maybe you'll have more luck."

"How does Terra do it?"

"He's at sports most of the year so he only puts up with Seifer on the weekends. Some days I wish we were all that lucky." Riku shoveled another forkful of spaghetti into his mouth.

"Sora's a freshmen, right?"

"Yeah. He's in the dorms like you are, although I think he's over in the Radient Village expansion. His roommate seems nice. Some kid name Tidus. He's a sports player too." Riku started eating again and Roxas looked around the room. It was fairly empty. The walls were blank and the desks were void of clutter. It was such as drastic change from the other rooms. The only problem with the room was Riku's overgrown laundry hamper.

"Alright. I'll see you around." Riku waved with his fork, turning the volume back up on his TV. Roxas found Seifer's door was now cracked. He knocked on the doorframe.

"What?" Seifer called. Roxas opened the door a bit further. The room was bright like Riku's but it was an explosion of clothes, take out containers, papers, and sports equipment. Seifer was laying shirtless on his bed, his hat still present. "Chicken wuss? What do you want?"

"I just wanted to let you know I might be staying here next year," Roxas stated flatly.

"You?" Seifer rolled his eyes. "I suppose it could be worse. They could stick me with that half-assed Riku kid. I have my rules though."

"Vacate the room when you have company?"

"You catch on quick." Seifer pulled out a knife from under his pillow and flicked it around.

"Don't try to wake me up."

"Same goes for you." Seifer laughed loudly.

"You gonna shoot me?"

"No. I'll just ruin your day."

"Sleep in late on weekends?"

"Always."

"Eh." Seifer shrugged. "Maybe we'll get along. Just keep your gay stuff upstairs." Roxas was about to say something when his voice got caught in his throat. "I'm not blind, douche bag. I can tell you and Mr. Hot Stuff are together. Like I said, keep it upstairs. I haven't had anything against the lame-o crowd in the past. Let's keep it that way."

"Right. Thanks Seifer."

"Don't go thanking me. We're not roommates yet so don't go fucking it up before we are. I'll make your life Hell."

"Touché." Roxas left the man alone. As he headed for the stairs, the new girl walked by him on her way back from the bathroom. She wore Seifer's shirt. When Roxas glanced behind him, he could see her ass peek out from underneath the fabric. Roxas rolled his eyes and hurried downstairs before Seifer started up another round of S&M.

Downstairs, Axel and Demyx were in the kitchen drinking sodas. They were exhausted from dancing too much. Demyx fetched a soda for Roxas. Roxas nodded his thanks.

"What do you have planned for the evening?" Axel asked.

"Whatever you want to do."

"Want to go get some ice cream?"

"Sure!" Roxas brightened at the prospect of his favorite treat.

"Alright. Let's go, then." Axel went and grabbed his keys from his room. Demyx stared smugly at Roxas.

"What?"

"You're so lucky," Demyx stated.

"I am?"

"Do you know how many girls would kill for a man like that? Out of all of them, he picked you. You're special, Roxas."

"How'd you pick Zexion?"

"He asked me out in the library one day. Truth be told I was a bit shocked. It didn't help I had a girlfriend at the time. Once she dumped me, I found myself going to the library and asking if Zexion wanted to do anything fun for awhile. Six weeks later we started dating."

"What drew you to him?"

"His quiet nature, I suppose. If you asked him, he'd probably say he was drawn to my quirky nature. We just got along so well we just decided to take out relationship further. Not much else to it."

"Do you get much flack?"

"Depends. Campus is pretty chill about it. Even the two clubs on campus are pretty chill about LGBT crowd. If you go off campus, you're in for a bit of a wakeup call. Just be careful, Roxas. Some people will never change their views and nothing you say will change their mind. I tried once and I ended getting beaten up. Zexion had to take me to the ER. Anyways…" He tiled his head to the side as Axel came back down the stairs. "Go have fun."

As Roxas followed Axel out of the apartment, he turned and mouthed "Thanks" to Demyx. The music major raised is soda in recognition.

The pair drove out to the ice cream place. Kairi was behind the counter. She knew was Roxas was going to order since he always got the same thing: sea salt ice cream in a waffle bowl. Axel ordered a small bowl of chocolate. They sat in their corner table and ate silently for the first few bites.

"Have any plans for Valentine's Day?" Axel asked. Roxas shook his head. "Is there anything you want to do?" Roxas shrugged.

"We could out for ice cream." Axel let out a chuckled and a sigh at the same time.

"Roxas, you can't survive on ice cream." Roxas frowned.

"I wish I could. What if we went skating?"

"Skating?"

"Yeah. There's that huge rink on the other side of campus where the pond is. They rent out skates there I think."

"I guess that might be fun."

"Should I pick you up at five then?"

"Kind of early, don't you think?"

"I thought we might go eat before."

"Right. Yeah, five works. You're not going to crash this time, are you?" Roxas scowled.

"No."

"I'll see you then."

XxXxX

The day of love soon blossomed on campus. Couples were seen everywhere of every shape and size. Demyx had been right about the campus being accepting. Roxas sat in front of his wardrobe and wondered what he should wear. His heart pounded wildly as five o'clock drew nearer and nearer.

"What if you did the black cargo pants with your jacket and scarf?" Pence suggested.

"Is that too normal?"

"Nah. Go with that red long sleeved shirt."

"Sweatshirt ideas?"

"Grey?"

"Too plain."

"Red?"

"Too subtle."

"Black?"

"Too much black."

"What if you wore a black tank top under your red shirt instead of a sweat shirt over it?"

"Great idea!" Roxas found his clothes and changed. Then he decided on the accessories. He eventually went with a pair of black leather cuffs and his red dog collar.

"You two have fun tonight. I'm going to splurge on candy and romantic comedies," Pence commented.

"Aren't you doing anything with Hayner or Olette?"

"They're on a date, I guess. No need to make things awkward." Roxas nodded. He was happy for Pence to be his roommate. Roxas could confine in him whenever he was having issues. Pence swore to keep Roxas's secret safe, especially from Hayner.

"You want me to pick you up something?"

"Nah. Don't worry about me. I'll just pretend it's any other day and suddenly the prospect of watching a movie alone isn't so depressing." Roxas felt bad for him. He dug around in his wardrobe until he came up with a poorly wrapped package.

"Here," Roxas offered.

"What's this?" Pence took the package.

"It was for your birthday."

"That's in two weeks, though."

"Close enough." Pence smiled sheepishly and opened the paper. Inside was the special edition of the Matrix trilogy.

"Whoa! Thanks Roxas! You are the best roommate in the world." Roxas smiled.

"Thanks." Pence gave him a hug and let Roxas get going before he was late. Then he settled down to watch a movie marathon with a bowl of pink and red M&Ms.

Roxas drove over to Axel's apartment and picked him up. The red head wore a black hat over his head, forcing his spikey hair downwards. He wore a simple matching outfit: black boots, black skinny jeans, black jacket, and a dark red sweatshirt. A green scarf was wrapped around his neck.

"Where are we going?" Axel asked.

"It's a surprise." Axel raised his eyebrows but didn't press for questions. Roxas drove to the edge of the campus. They arrive at Martin Steinz and Axel had to smile. "Ready?" Roxas called from the door. Axel strode up to his companion and locked arms with him.

"Of course."

They were seated and ordered some drinks. While they waited for their food, the talked idly about school and classes. Axel didn't have as many Literature classes this semester so he had a bit more free time due to the lack of papers. Roxas was finding he liked chemistry the most out of his classes. Axel then talked about the abomination of a class o-chem was and how he survived the third time through. He went on a tangent about Vexen, the old apartment tenant, and how he had gone into biochemistry.

Their food arrived and they continued their conversation over their meal. Roxas got a flat bread pizza while Axel got a shrimp pasta bowl. Their conversation turned to their friends and how they were handling the school year. As they ordered desserts, they talked about moving arrangements for the end of the spring. Roxas would be able to apply for the empty place in the apartments in March once all of the forms of leave notices were filed.

Once they were done with dessert, Roxas drove them to the skating rink. They got skates and joined the crowd. Roxas was a natural on the skates after so many years of dance practice, but Axel was full of surprises too. Apparently his sister used to skate so he got to practice with her during the open skating sessions.

Roxas wobbled as Axel skated backwards past him with his hands in his pockets. "Show off!" Roxas shouted. Axel spun around and grabbed Roxas by the hand. The teens face blushed lightly. He was worried people would stare but they were too preoccupied with their own partner that they ignored everyone else. Axel led Roxas around the skating rink, giving him tips along the way. Axel taught Roxas a few tricks too.

Later in the evening, they ran into Terra and Aqua on the ice. They were holding hands as Terra attempted to remain standing. Aqua kept encouraging him, which made Terra smile.

Around ten, Roxas and Axel got off of the ice and got some hot chocolate. They were breathless from skating so long. Then they headed back to Axel's apartment. When they got there, Axel motioned for Roxas to follow him. Roxas was a bit confused but followed the red head without question. They took a walk in the nearby park, their elbows linked.

Axel exhaled and watched his breath float up into the night sky. "What a perfect day," he muttered. Roxas looked up at him. Axel's face was calm and relaxed. The cold winter air kissed his cheeks, turning them pink. Roxas smiled and leaned against Axel's arm, his arm snaking around the taller man's.

"You're being awfully quiet," Axel noticed.

"Sorry. I was just enjoying the silence. It's so quiet out here compared to the other parts of campus. It's comforting, in a way. I know if I ever need to escape I can always come out here and let the stress melt off." Axel stopped walking and turned to Roxas.

"Is that so?" He then led Roxas through the snow. He stopped in the middle of the park and flopped backwards in the snow. Roxas sat down next to him. Axel pulled the teen onto his lap and Roxas lay quietly on top of him. They stared up at the sky. Stars filled the black void with constellations and glittering lights.

"Do you ever miss your family?" Axel asked.

"Mostly just my siblings, although I never hung out with them much. I was always too busy when I was younger and then when I hit my junior year of high school, I pretty much locked myself in my room. Do you even miss Xion?"

"Nah. She keeps in touch about once a month by sending me a postcard with a couple of sentences on it."

"What about your parents?"

"They moved after I came to college. I haven't been home since. I was never on bad terms with my parents but I don't really miss them either." Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas tighter.

"Do you think we'll always be like this?"

"What do you mean?" Axel asked, confused.

"I guess I'm just being pessimistic. When we're together, I feel like we could never be torn apart. But then when I go to sleep at night I can't stop thinking about all of the ways I could lose you." Axel nuzzled his chin on Roxas's head.

"Whatever happens will happen. We can't control it. If we do get separated, then we just have to get together in our next life."

"I'll run to you," Roxas promised.

"With open arms," Axel promised.

They lay in perfect silence for over an hour.

Then Axel started humming. Roxas recognized the tune.

"Omoidasu ba, haruka haruka," Roxas sang softly. He sang through the entire song of Passion, Axel humming the music for him.

When Roxas finished singing, he let Axel finish humming before they were left in silence again. "Hey Roxas?" Axel asked.

"Yeah?"

"I can't feel my legs." Axel chuckled awkwardly. Roxas rolled off of him and let Axel sit up. "Want to head back?"

"I have class tomorrow morning. I should probably go back to my dorm."

"Oh, right." Roxas stood up and offered a hand down to Axel. The red head gladly accepted and was pulled to his feet. They walked back to the parking lot, their cold hands intertwined. When they got there, Axel didn't want to let Roxas go. Roxas smiled softly.

"I'll be back," Roxas reassured him. Axel wrapped Roxas in a hug. He felt a pair of tears fall from his eyes. Roxas looked up as the tears hit the top of his head. "What's wrong?"

"Damn tears just slipped out. Promise me we'll do this again next year."

"I promise." Axel pulled Roxas into a kiss. When they parted, they hugged each other tightly. Roxas said his good-byes and left for his dorm. Axel went up to his room and got ready for bed. When he crawled under the covers, he was overcome with a wave of emotions.

'Why does my heart hurt around him?' Axel fell asleep.

In his dreams he found himself on a sandy beach. He looked out across the waves. They were a brilliant blue. He turned and sat a figure sitting on a rock. They were dressed in black with a pair of white wings loosely folded behind them. They stared out at the sea, waiting. Axel started running. The figure grew closer. He could make out the blonde hair blowing gently in the wind.

"Roxas!" Axel screamed. The figure turned. He stood and pushed off from the rock. The world slowed. Axel watched the angel spread its wings, blocking out the light of the sun. Axel was scared out of his mind. The angel held out a hand to him. Axel reached for it. Their fingers brushed gently before Axel took hold of the angel's hand. The white wings pumped higher and higher into the sky.

Axel noticed the higher they climbed, the darker the angel's wings became. He turned back to see the angel fixated on flying higher. Once they broke the clouds, a beautiful sunset was spread before them. The last of the angel's feather's turned black and he dropped out of the sky. Axel dove after him, determined to save him.

The angel pressed his hands over his heart. His wings dissolved into a flurry of feathers. Axel soon caught up and wrapped his arms around the angel. Pain erupted from his back as a set of scarlet wings spread out behind him. Axel slowed their fall and they came to rest on the earth.

The angel opened his eyes. He stared at Axel with searching eyes. The wind blew sharply and Axel was torn away. He tried to fight the wind, but he couldn't. Axel pressed his hand against his chest. A shining light emerged in his palm. Axel threw it against the wind. It soared through the air and pierced the angel through the chest. He blinked and reached out.

"Axel!" he screamed. Axel watched as his wings turned from scarlet to dark purple. Then the feathers slowly disappeared into the breeze.

"Where fears and lies melt away," Axel muttered.

He woke in a cold sweat. Axel noticed his phone was vibrating on his desk. He quickly picked it up to find Roxas calling him. Axel picked it up.

"Roxas?"

"I'm outside." Axel quickly found a sweatshirt and slipped it over his head before sprinting down the stairs. As he burst outside, Roxas slammed into his chest.

"What are you doing here?" Axel asked.

"I had to see you again…one more time," Roxas replied.

"You'll see me tomorrow," Axel reminded. Roxas shook his head.

"I wanted to tell you something but I couldn't bring myself to it before. Now I'm sure. Axel…" Roxas looked up into the elder males face. "I love you."

Axel swept Roxas up into a passionate kiss.

"I love you too," Axel breathed as the parted. Roxas's face softened and fell. Tears spilled out of his eyes. Axel kissed them away. "Got get some sleep. I'll be waiting for you when you get back." Axel kissed Roxas on the forehead. "Night Roxy."

"Night Axel." Roxas stole one more kiss before climbing back into his car. Then he drove off into the night. Axel stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

A shadow strode up behind him. Marluxia put an arm around Axel's shoulders.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah." Marluxia could see the blush on Axel's face.

"You should come inside before you get sick." Marluxia slipped his arm off of Axel's shoulder and started heading back to bed.

"Marly?" Axel called. Marluxia stopped and turned around. Axel stepped inside and locked the front door. He walked over to Marluxia and rested his head on the shorter man's shoulder. "What am I supposed to do?"

"For starters, got back to bed. You'll only make Roxas worry if you're not sleeping."

"I can't stand not being around him. He made me feel like I had a heart again." Marluxia lifted Axel's head and smiled at him.

"I'm sure he could say the same about you." Marluxia ushered Axel back to his bed. The red head was asleep in seconds.

The pink haired man sat at his desk for awhile, thinking deeply. Then he smiled.

Keeping his thoughts to himself, he dug out his last piece of Pocky. He bit off the end and chewed on it happily.

"Haruka haruka."


	8. Chapter 8: Hurts Like Heaven

The weekend arrived and Marluxia remained aloof about his plans to go clubbing. Everyone was going with, including Aqua, Sora, and Seifers new girlfriend, who's name Roxas never remembered to ask. It was after seven before everyone was ready to go. Roxas wasn't too thrilled with being left in the dark but by the sounds of it, everyone else was too.

"What do you think he's planning?" Demyx whispered to Roxas as they gathered on the first floor. Roxas shrugged.

They took several cars over to one of the clubs in town on the campus. There they found a large table in the back corner to order drinks. Once they were served, Marluxia cleared his throat.

"I'd like to thank everyone for coming," he started. "I know this must seem rather out of place but we're here today to celebrate. I have officially completed a contract and opened a business with a few of my fellow art and graphic design colleagues. This is our official launch party. Drinks are on me tonight."

"Alright!" Seifer whooped, excited at the prospect of free alcohol. Everyone said their congratulations and they toasted to Marluxia for a successful business career.

"What's does your business do?" Sora asked, sipping on his smoothie.

"We cater to the arts: music, theatre, art, and design. Believe it or not, our crew is running the club tonight. I know someone who's an excellent DJ," Marluxia explained.

"That's amazaing!" Demyx exclaimed.

"If you want in on the action, Demyx, I think I could persuade the DJ to give up his sound board for an hour." Demyx's face light up. He was left speechless, resorting to squealing with glee.

Once everyone had their fill of drinks, they hit the dance floor. Roxas wasn't sure if he wanted to join but one look from Marluxia and he knew he had no choice. Since the night was early, they just danced around with various people. Roxas ran into Kairi there and they danced together for a song.

When the night turned later, the crowd grew more energetic. The bass was turned up and the music was pumping. Roxas felt the familiar sensation of his heart pounding to the beat of the base. It made him feel nostalgic and lonely.

The song changed and Roxas recognized it. He had danced to it in a past competition. He saw Marluxia next to the DJ. 'Sly bastard.' Roxas thought. He felt the moves of the song come back to him the longer the music played.

"Hey Roxas!" Aqua greeted. "You want to dance?"

"Do you know this song?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah! I used to dance professionally too." Roxas was a bit surprised. He and Aqua picked up on the moves as the song played on. Soon the crowd was more focused on them.

As the song ended, it transitioned into another song flawlessly. "Get Terra out here!" Roxas shouted over the music.

"Why?" Aqua asked.

"Just do it!" Aqua was confused but he skipped over to the side and pulled Terra into the center. Roxas side stepped to the side and grabbed the first person he came across: Zexion. The song switched up again but the anthem felt different. Roxas noticed Demyx was at the music table, one hand holding a headphone to his ear.

"What am I supposed to do?" Zexion asked.

"Follow my lead," Roxas stated. The music hit a soft point and they froze, changing into slow motion movements. Roxas stepped to the side with each beat and pulled Sora into the circle. The others pulled people from the side and the music pumped back up. With each passing beat, more and more people were added to the group.

The song changed and the rest of the people on the sides joined the mosh pit formed in the middle of the floor. Roxas turned to a tap on his shoulder. Axel was behind him.

"Don't think you can avoid me all night," Axel teased. Roxas smirked.

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Roxas shouted over the bass. They danced together for awhile until the song changed to a group song. Then everyone danced together. If anyone messed up, they struggled to continue in a fit of laughter.

Time flew by and it was soon after midnight. The younger groups evacuated the building so the club was filled with mostly upper classmen, half of them drunk. As Roxas stopped for a drink, he noticed Seifer dancing and the teen couldn't help laughing. As the song changed, people started pairing up on the dance floor. Roxas decided it was a good time to take a break. He ventured to the bathroom and washed his face in some cold water.

"Hiding?" Roxas jumped as Axel appeared in the mirror behind him.

"Don't do that!" Roxas protested, chucking his paper towels at the red head. Axel chuckled.

"Not comfortable with close quarter dancing?"

"If you mean grinding, then no."

"How come?"

"It's weird." Axel walked over to Roxas and turned him around. Then he wrapped his arms around the teen's waist.

"Would it be weird if I were there?" he muttered. Roxas's face flushed.

"People will stare."

"No they won't. If you don't want to see them staring, then just close your eyes. Just pretend we're alone. What-da ya say?" Axel kissed his neck, striking the nerve that made Roxas turn to putty. Roxas couldn't say no. He found himself being led to the dance floor. Roxas kept his face turned downwards. His loose hair hid the redness of his cheeks. Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas's waist. "Just relax," Axel shouted in his ear over the music. Roxas closed his eyes and forced himself to pretend they were alone. Axel's chest pressed against his back, followed by his hips.

'Fuck!' Roxas screamed in his head.

They swayed to the beat of the music. Axel either stared at the wall or peered down at Roxas's face. The teen wasn't exactly comfortable but he allowed Axel to do what he pleased. After a couple of songs, Axel leaned down.

"Hey, check out those two!" he shouted. Roxas cracked open one eye. He found Demyx with Zexion in his arms dancing nearby.

'Is that what we look like?' Roxas wondered. He started to feel bad. Demyx and Zexion looked like they were having fun. Axel was just trying to let him have some fun but Roxas was too worried about his public appearance.

"Don't worry about looking weird. Riku's got Sora in a death grip on the other side of the dance floor," Axel shouted in Roxas's ear.

"What?" Roxas turned his head around, his eyes scanning the dance floor.

"Riku must be drunk. I feel sorry for Sora. His face is redder than yours." Roxas stopped the pair and had to chuckle.

"I think Riku might have slipped Sora a drink," Roxas noticed.

"You're probably right."

"Hey chicken wuss!" Roxas and Axel turned to find Seifer coming up from behind them. His cheeks were flushed from his alcohol. He tripped and crashed into his girlfriend, laughing hysterically. "You got some-ding on your face," Seifer said, his speech slurred. "Why so serr-ous?" Seifer laughed and his girlfriend pulled him away so they could dance elsewhere.

"Talk about your typically college stereotype," Roxas commented. Axel laughed and kissed Roxas's neck.

By 2:00am, everyone was nearly exhausted. The club was closing in thirty minutes so many of the people started leaving. The bar had closed so there was no need to stay. Marluxia walked around and talked to his colleagues. They were all excited with the positive reception. Marluxia went to the back booth and found his drink. Demyx and Zexion were making out in the corner. Lexaeus nodded to Marluxia from the table.

"Still here?" Marluxia asked. Lexaeus shrugged.

"Not much else to do tonight," the quiet man replied.

"Don't you have to go in?"

"Four. I'll go in early once the club closes."

"Good luck. I'd hate to be you."

"Do you miss her?" Marluxia raised an eyebrow.

"Tifa? Mmm, yes. She'll be abroad one more year as we finish up our schooling."

"Still planning on a small wedding?"

"For the most part." Marluxia pulled a chain from under his shirt. There was a rose gold band on it. "She wants to get married in Japan now."

"Wasn't it Australia before?"

"And Russia the time before that." Lexaeus smirked.

"What about those two?" He nodded to the dancefloor. Roxas's face was buried in the front of Axel's shoulder. Axel's head rested on top of the teens. Roxas almost looked like he was dancing asleep. His arms were curled up against Axel's chest.

"What about them?" Marluxia pressed.

"How'd you get them to come?"

"I had them owe me a favor."

"Knowing you, I think everyone owes you a favor." Marluxia smiled.

"Some days it feels like that." Marluxia set down his drink. "I'd better go get them before they fall asleep standing up." Lexaeus nodded. Then he got up and headed out for his internship at the hospital. Marluxia walked across the dance floor and tapped Axel on the shoulder. The red head cracked open an eye. "Are you ready to go?"

Axel lifted his head off of Roxas's. "Sure. Let me wake up the kid." Axel poked Roxas in the face. "Come on. We're heading home." Roxas groaned and buried his head deeper into Axel's shoulder. Axel rolled his eyes. He put Roxas on his back piggy back style. The blonde was too exhausted to protest. He fell asleep on Axel's shoulder.

Marluxia rounded up what was left of their party. Then they drove back to the apartment. Axel made sure he drove Roxas home and they went five mph under the speed limit. When they got back, Axel carried Roxas up to his room. He tucked the teen in and curled up next to him. Marluxia entered the room last and glanced over at Axel's bed. Then he took a shower and crawled between the sheets.

XxXxX

February passed by and the snow finally stopped falling. The weather warmed up a bit as the days led into March. The biggest hype on campus was Spring Break. Everyone wanted to know where everyone was going.

Roxas planned on staying on campus since Axel wasn't going anywhere. He would be the only one in the apartment over the break. Demyx and Zexion had a car trip planned out. Riku, Seifer, Terra, and Lexaeus were headed home. Marluxia was off to Korea to see his fiancé. They had originally planned to meet over Christmas but the situation with Axel halted his plans. Roxas chatted with Pence about his plans. The cheery teen was going on vacation with his family to the Keys. Pence promised to try the Key Lime pie while he was there.

Once the campus cleared over the weekend, the atmosphere became quiet. Roxas worked on finishing what little homework he had. When Monday came, he decided to take a personal day. He watched TV shows on his laptop and munched on instant ramen.

The sound of his phone vibrating caught his attention. When he picked it up, he hesitated before answering. The word HOME was printed in bold on the screen.

"What?" Roxas asked quietly.

"ROXAS!" Ventus screamed into the phone. Roxas flinched at the sound.

"What's up?" Roxas asked, pausing his show.

"When are you coming home?"

"I wasn't planning on coming home."

"WHAT?! You have to come home sometime. It's soooooooo boring here without you. Couldn't you come visit for a few days?" Roxas looked at his calendar. There was nothing planned the entire spring break. "Please?" Ventus begged.

"Just a couple of days."

"Yes! Thank you Roxas! When are you coming?"

"Tomorrow afternoon sound good?"

"Perfect! Mom's on a trip and dad will be thrilled to see you!" Roxas chuckled.

"How's Naminé?"

"She was kind of bummed last year but she's better now. I think something happened at school. You'll have to ask her about it."

"Got it. I'll see you tomorrow."

"BYE!" Roxas hung up and sighed. Then he dialed Axel's number.

"Yeah?" Axel answered.

"I'm going home tomorrow for a few days. Do you want to come with? I can introduce you to my siblings if you want."

"Sounds like fun. It's been years since I've been in back in Hollow Bastion. When do you want to leave?"

"Eight sound good?"

"Sure."

"I'll come pick you up."

"Roger." Axel hung up. Roxas went around his room and packed a bag. He made sure to pack his headphones. There was a reason he wore them when he went to sleep. He didn't pack any homework since he knew he wouldn't get any done.

When morning came, Roxas climbed into his car and picked up Axel from his apartment. Then they started the long drive back to Hollow Bastion. They stopped for lunch around noon and then continued on their way. As they pulled into town, a flood of memories came back to the pair. Hallow Bastion hadn't changed.

"Traffic still stinks here," Axel commented as they passed through the metro area.

"Tell me about it," Roxas grumbled. He pulled off the main road at his exit and they ventured into the suburbs. They passed by the large homes first where all of the rich people lived. Then they entered the neighborhoods where all of the houses looked the same. Axel was glad Roxas was driving since he was already lost. He had grown up in the metro area. The suburbs were new to him. The car slowed and they pulled to the side of the road. Roxas turned off the car and took a deep breath.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Do your parents know you're home?"

"No, but I didn't come home for them anyway."

"Right." The guys climbed out of the car and grabbed their bags. Roxas went to the front door and stopped short.

"Shit," he whispered. Axel wondered what Roxas was talking about. Roxas unlocked the front door and stepped inside. The house was modest with a warm touch. Axel thought it looked rather nice. The living room was to the left as they stepped in and the stairs to the upper and lower levels were on the right. Past the stairs was a hallway to Roxas's and Ventus's room. In the back of the main floor was the dining room and kitchen.

At the sound of the door opening, there was a pause of silence. Then Roxas was attacked by a bear hug from his brother.

"You're home!" Ventus cried. Roxas ruffled his hair. Axel was amazed how similar Ventus and Roxas looked. Besides their age, they were practically identical. A woman in a dirty pink bathrobe stepped out of the kitchen.

"So this is where you've been." Roxas's mother looked tired and ragged. Her blonde hair was pulled back messily behind her head. "Do you know how many calls from the hospital I got? Are you just draining away the money we give you? Did you ever think of calling?"

"Whatever," Roxas growled. "I'm staying for a few days. Then I can get out of your hair."

"Keep up that attitude and you'll start paying for college on your own."

"I already pay for half."

"Don't get sassy with me!" Roxas slammed his fist against the door.

"Just leave me the Hell alone!" he barked. His mother scowled and went back to the kitchen, muttering under her breath.

"Great, now I'll have to cook for him. He never eats anything I make so why do I even bother? And he brings a friend! You think he'd have the gall to let me know!" she growled.

Axel remained silent as Roxas tried to calm himself down. Ventus was clutching to his brother's shirt. Roxas pushed his brother away and slammed the front door shut. Then he stormed off to his room. Axel followed silently behind. Roxas's room was very empty. His bed only had some basic sheet on it. There was a desk and a dresser. Both were void of objects. As Roxas went to his closet, Axel peeked in some of the drawers. They were empty.

"That's where those ended up," Roxas muttered. He tossed a pair of ripped jeans onto the floor with a couple of other assorted clothing articles. Axel peeked into the closet. It was filled to the brim with all of Roxas's childhood possessions. Either he was hiding them or his family was.

"Fuck," Roxas swore as he tried to pry out a sweatshirt from the bottom of a pile of boxes. The top box tipped onto his head, showering him with picture frames. Several of them cracked as they hit the floor. Roxas picked them up and chucked them into his closet, spraying glass over his belongings. He slammed the closet door shut and picked up the clothes he had dug out of the closet. He went to his bed and stuffed them into his bag.

Roxas stopped moving as Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas's shoulders. His breathing slowed as he tried to calm down.

"I'm sorry," Roxas snapped.

"Don't be." Roxas leaned his head back against Axel's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"I'm just sick of this place."

"I'll leave whenever you want to." Roxas released a drawn out sigh.

"Hey Roxas?" Ventus stuck his head around the corner of the door frame. Roxas turned to his brother.

"What's up?"

"I redecorated my room while you were away. Want to come see?"

"Sure." Ventus glanced at Axel.

"Um, who's your friend?" Axel let Roxas go and squatted in front of Ventus so they were the same height.

"My name's Axel. Got it memorized?" Axel tapped his temple with his finger.

"Sure! My name's Ventus, but you can call me Ven if you want. Do you have it memorized?" Axel burst out laughing.

"Sure do." Axel stood and waited for Roxas and Ven to lead the way. Ven's room was smaller than Roxas's and was filled with furniture and various belongings. The walls were dark blue and he had a white comforter on a lofted bed.

"Check out what Naminé did!" Ven exclaimed. He shut the blinds and turned off the lights. Star constellations were painted on the ceiling in glow in the dark paint.

"Not bad," Axel commented. Ven turned on the lights and climbed on top of his bed.

"Space, huh?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah. It was either that or aliens but mom didn't approve of that."

"Figures."

"Hey, you should go see Naminé. She's up in her room. She got home right before you did. She'd love to see you."

"Okay." Roxas ruffled his brother's hair and lead Axel out of the room. Ven watched them leave, intrigued to why Axel was hugging Roxas earlier. Roxas brought Axel upstairs to the first room on the right. Inside, the walls were covered in artwork. Everything was decorated so it was white. Naminé turned around at her desk.

"Roxas!" she exclaimed. She ran to her brother and gave him a hug. "I was wondering if you were ever coming home."

"I'd always make a trip home to come see you and Ven," Roxas commented. Naminé smiled and went back to her desk, although she remained standing. Axel took his time to look at all of the pictures.

"Who's your friend?"

"This is Axel." Axel turned at the sound of his name. Naminé walked over and offered a hand to him.

"Nice to meet you," she greeted. Axel shook her hand.

"Same," he said with a smile. "You're quite the artist."

"Thanks." Naminé put her hands behind her back and looked around the room at all of her projects. She spun around, her light blue sun dress twirling with her. "If you like one you can take it with you," she offered.

"Maybe later. I hear you had issues at school," Roxas stated, changing topics.

"Some of the seniors were giving me flack for being your sister. I think the rest of the school got sick of it. One of the juniors, Wakka I think, chewed them all out one day at lunch. The rest of the school sided with him and the seniors stopped bothering with me."

"Good. Let me know if you have any problems, okay?" Naminé nodded.

"Of course."

The sound of the front door opening caught their attention. "Dad's home!" Ven cried from the first floor. Naminé smiled softly.

"You should probably say hello." Roxas nodded and dragged Axel from the room, who was still caught up in staring at all of the pictures on the wall. Roxas brought Axel back to his room. He avoided the bickering couple in the kitchen. Roxas sat at his desk while Axel found a place on the teen's bed.

"Nice family," Axel commented. Roxas shot him a dark look. Axel held up his hands, meaning he meant no offense. Footsteps came down the hall and Roxas's father appeared in the doorway.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey," Roxas replied half-heartedly.

"I see you're doing well. You got your lip re-pierced too." Roxas turned his gaze to the floor. "Is everything going okay?"

"Yeah."

"Do you have enough for the rest of the semester?" Roxas pulled out his phone and checked his account.

"Four hundred." Roxas's dad pulled out his wallet. Then he walked over to Roxas and handed him two fifty dollar bills.

"Gas money." Roxas's father turned to Axel. "And you are?"

"Axel," the red head stated. He shook the elder man's hand.

"Carrie's boy?"

"Yeah."

"Ah. I'm Auron. I worked with her before she moved. You went to high school with Roxas, didn't you?"

"For a short while." Auron turned back to Roxas.

"How long are you staying?"

"A few days," Roxas replied, picking at the varnish on his chair.

"I don't suppose your mom is making food for you."

"Probably not." Auron sighed and pulled another fifty out of his wallet.

"It's on me tonight." Roxas stuffed the money in his wallet.

"Thanks dad." Auron ruffled Roxas's hair.

"Call me if you need more money. Nice to meet you, Axel." Auron took his leave. There was a long pause of silence.

"Where do you want to eat?" Roxas asked.

"Won't matter. We can go into the metro if you want."

"'Kay."

"Hey Roxas?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we make a couple of stops after we eat? There's something I remembered I wanted to do if I came back here."

"Sure." Roxas checked the time on his phone. It was almost four. "We should get going. Traffic's going to be a hot mess." Roxas stood and headed for the door. Axel caught him on the wrist. Roxas turned to his frined. "What?" Axel stood and kissed Roxas gently on the lips.

"Don't worry about it so much." Roxas blushed and averted his gaze.

"Thanks Axel." They headed out of the house, Roxas's mother's voice carrying out after them. They headed into the metro where Roxas picked out a café to eat at. They ordered gourmet sandwiches and mixed coffees.

Roxas wasn't up for talking as they ate. Axel tried to cheer him up but it was like Roxas had reverted to the person he was when he first came to school. When they finished eating, Axel gave Roxas directions. They ended up at a floral shop. Axel returned to the car with a bouquet of flowers and a small bag. Roxas shot him an odd look but Axel didn't acknowledge it.

They then drove back out of the metro. Roxas felt like he knew the road when he was told to turn right. His heart froze at the sight before him.

Hundreds of graves lay on the ground and memorials stood against the cold air. Roxas drove forward slowly until Axel told him to stop. They got out of the car and walked across the lawn, passing by unique gravestones along the way. Axel finally stopped in front of one grave. He fished a box out of the bag. Inside was a corsage. Axel tore it apart to remove one white flower. It hand thin spindles shooting out from the center, reaching farther than the pedals. Axel placed the single flower on the base of the grave.

Saïx's grave.

"Hey," Axel said softly. "I came back. I know it's been awhile but I remembered this time." Roxas stood next to Axel and stared down at the grave. It was made from light grey stone with Saïx's name carved into it. A crescent moon sat on the top of the stone. Roxas looked down at the flower. "Hymenocallis. It was the flower you wanted to get for your date to the prom that year. You didn't even get the chance to ask her."

Axel wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I wasn't there for you. Now I have someone else to take care of. I care for him…a lot. I'm sure you would have been a stick in the mud about it, but I hope you understand. This is what I want." Axel knelt down and bumped fists with the grave stone. "I'll see you later, okay?" Axel stood and wiped his eyes again. Roxas took hold of Axel's free hand.

"Do you want to see them?" Axel asked. Roxas desperately wanted to say no, to run away, or even shake his head, but he found himself giving a slight nod. Axel gripped his hand tighter. "Lead on." Roxas brought Axel deeper into the graveyard. They walked along the road for five minutes before turning off to the left. Roxas brought him up to a large statue. There was an angel clutching his chest tightly, his wings spread out behind him as he lay curled up on his knees. Fifteen names were etched into the white stone at the base.

Roxas knelt and traced the letters of the names of his friends.

"Hey guys," he said. His voiced cracked and tears spilled out of his eyes. Axel laid the bouquet of flowers at the angel's knees. Then he wrapped his arm around Roxas's shoulders. Roxas sobbed as the memories of his friends came flooding back.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" he gasped between sniffles. Axel drew Roxas into his chest and held him close as the teen continued to pour out his emotions. Axel reached out and traced the names of Roxas's friends.

"You were lucky to have him as a friend. He never stopped caring about you." Axel lowered his fingers and looked down at Roxas. He stroked the teen's hair gently. "Just let it out. It's okay. There's no one here."

Roxas screamed into Axel's chest. His sobs wracked through his body.

"I'm sorry!" he cried. "I tried but I wasn't strong enough! There was nothing I could do. Why did you have to die?" Axel rubbed Roxas's back to help soothe him. "I'm not strong enough to move on. I hurt you and then I hurt myself," Roxas muttered, his voice at a lower volume. "But I met some people. They helped me get back to my life. I met Axel and he cared for me. I'm sorry, Aerith, but my heart belongs to him now. I will never forget what you did for me. Leon…you were always the level headed one. You were going to go to a high ranked college. I'm sorry, I took that away from you. I made us miss our last competition, Cloud. We were going to win, or so I keep hoping. We were supposed to practice that night. I'm sorry I never made it."

Roxas pulled out of Axel's arms and leaned his head against the monument. "I'm sorry to everyone. You deserved better."

"And so do you." The guys whirled around to see a dark haired girl behind them with a bouquet of flowers of her own.

"Yuffie…" Roxas breathed.

"I've never seen you so broken, Roxas. You were always the strong one." Yuffie stepped forward and placed her flowers next to Axel's. "I never understood why we were supposed to hate you." Axel noticed Yuffie's shirt was a bit too short for her so her stomach poked out. A large scar blemished her hip from where she had been shot years before. Yuffie knelt down a put a hand on Roxas's shoulder.

"Cheer up, Roxas. It's over now. Go have fun. They would have wanted you to," Yuffie stated, motioning towards the monument. Roxas wiped his eyes and sniffed.

"How did you move on?" Roxas asked. Yuffie stood and put her hands behind her back.

"I stopped paying attention to what other people were saying. The more I listened to them, the more I was angered by things that didn't matter. I let myself be the judge of how things worked. Then one day it hit me: our school was full of pricks and ass holes." Axel had to stifle his chuckle. "But there are some decent people who went there. They were the people who were picked on. Anyone who was different was singled out. Thinking back, if the shooing never happened, I feel as if things would have still turned out the same. Maybe not a serious, mind you, but those who left broken and hollow would have left broken and hollow. That's just how it goes. Did you ever move on, Roxas?"

The blonde teen sat back and rested his chin on his knees. "Maybe. I had some help."

"Well, I hope you can find some closure."

"Did you ever find closure?" Yuffie nodded.

"It was weird. One day I came here a complete wreck. I just wanted things to go back to the way they were, but then I saw a little girl standing out here. She stood up on her tip toes and placed a flower on the monument. I walked over and the little girl handed me a flower too. It was the little white ones Aerith used to press in her books. When I knelt down to take it she put it in my hair. "Don't be sad" was all she said before she ran off. I guess it was after that I realized Aerith was still with me, even if she wasn't around anymore." Yuffie pulled something from her pocket. It was a pressed white flower. She held it in the palm of her hand.

The wind blew and the flower floated gently downward until it landed on Roxas's foot.

"She's still with you too," Yuffie commented softly. Roxas picked up the flower and studied it. The wind blew it out of his hand and it stuck to Axel's cheek. When Axel went to remove it, the flower blew away in the wind, taken to some far off land. Roxas got to his feet. He turned and hugged Yuffie.

"Thanks," he murmured. Yuffie stepped out of the hug and held Roxas at arms-length.

"Chin up," she said with a wink. Then she turned with a wave and headed back towards the grave yard gates.

Axel stood and waited for Roxas to say something. The teen turned back to the monument. Then he bowed deeply.

"Arigato gozaimasu!" he shouted. Roxas stood up straight. He rubbed the tears from his face and let out a huff. "Farewell." Roxas turned to Axel. The elder male strode over and grabbed his outstretched hand. They turned and made their way back to Roxas's car.

The sun on the horizon, basking the world in an orange glow.

Roxas tightened his grip on Axel's hand. He had the closure he needed. His heart felt lighter as the past suddenly didn't seem to weigh so heavily on his mind. The light pulse of Axel's hand made Roxa's heart beat along with it. A light smile brushed across his face. Roxas looked up at Axel. The elder male glanced down at him, curious if he was alright. The teen's smile reassured him.

"You want to head back?" Axel asked.

"Yeah. Hey Axel? When we get back to school, could we go get some ice cream?" Axel smirked and shoved Roxas playfully, never letting go with his hand.

"Anything for you." When they got to the car, Roxas leaned up and kissed Axel on the cheek.

"For the greatest friend in the world." Axel leaned down and kissed Roxas on the lips, savoring the salty flavor.

"For the one who gave me a heart." They climbed back in the car and headed to Roxas's house.


	9. Chapter 9: Pictures of You

Axel slowly opened his eyes as the sunlight peeked through the blinds and struck his lids. He noticed a small face staring back at him with bright blue eyes.

"Roxas?" Axel muttered. His eyes slowly came into focus.

"Not quite," Ven replied. He sat on the floor, staring at Axel sleeping. Axel blinked. "What are you doing?"

"Um, sleeping?"

"In the same bed?" Axel could feel Roxas's back pressed against his own. By the feel of his breathing, the teen was still fast asleep.

"Saves space."

"We have a couch, you know."

"Too short."

"So you decided to cuddle with my brother instead?"

"Why not? He's like a giant teddy bear."

"A possessed teddy bear, maybe." Axel sat up and rubbed his eyes. "You look like you're going to throw up when you sleep."

"Thanks…" Axel slipped out of the bed and dug through his bag. Ven stood up and took a seat on the edge of the bed. Axel left the room with a toothbrush in his mouth. Ven turned and poked his brother.

"Roxas," he stated. "Mom says you have to take me to school today. She says it's the "responsible thing to do" since you came home." Roxas ignored his brother. Ven stood and bounced on the mattress. Then he slammed his body into his brother. Roxas sat up, his face livid.

"Get the fuck out of my room!" he roared.

"But mom says…" Roxas growled and climbed out of his bed and grabbed his keys. All he was wearing was a pair of black shorts. He grabbed a tank top as he stormed out of his room. Ven followed energetically.

"The day Naminé learns to drive…" Roxas grumbled. He shoved his feet into his shoes and ripped the front door open. "Take the fucking bus…" Axel peered at the entryway as Ven put on his shoes.

"He'll be back. Naminé! He's leaving without you!" Ven shouted up the stairs. Naminé sprinted down the stairs with her backpack, still brushing her hair.

"Wait Roxas!" she called as she slipped on her sandals. The siblings hurried after their brother and then drove off. Axel went back to the bathroom and finished brushing his teeth. He dropped off his toothbrush and went to the kitchen. Axel didn't want to pry so he made a slice of toast. As he sat at the table, Roxas's mother came into the kitchen with a scowl.

"Morning," Axel muttered politely. Roxas's mother started making some coffee.

"I didn't catch your name," she barked.

"Axel." She frowned.

"So you're that kid who miraculously lived through that crash. How'd you meet up with my son?" Roxas's mother folded her arms across her chest.

"We had a course together. We talked, had some things in common, and we became friends. Not much else to it." Roxas's mother could tell Axel wasn't telling the whole truth but she really didn't care. She poured herself a cup of coffee and drowned it in cream.

"Don't think I don't know your past. Arrested twice in high school for being under the influence. I'd say you are a bad influence on Roxas but he's already a bad influence on himself." She sipped her coffee.

"What's your problem?!" Axel snapped. Roxas's mother looked up.

"Excuse me?"

"He's your son. Treat him with some sort of respect."

"I've given up on giving him respect. What do you think we went through as a family when we learned our son shot himself? We almost lost him! Then he gets it in his head the world's against him and he forgets about the people around him. If he wants to dress in grunge and never call home, fine. But when he wildly flies off the handle for no reason I will not accept it. Did you know he beat his brother to the point he was hospitalized? I didn't think so!" Axel's blood ran cold. He didn't know about Roxas from his last two years of high school.

"Why do you think people started treating him like a villain? Because he was forced to kill people? Ha! Roxas snapped. When whispers started flying, so did his temper. He played with fire, was burned, and turned into a pyromaniac. Do you have any idea what it's like to deal with someone like that? I can put myself through the threats, the cussing, the bad attitude, but when he starts destroying my home, hurting MY family, and dealing with drugs, I can't stand for it."

"Roxas isn't like that anymore. He's changed!" Axel protested.

"You don't know that!"

"He tried to kill himself!" Axel roared. He stood up so fast the chair was sent sprawling to the floor. "He went through emotional torture you can only imagine about. Why the Hell do you think he was anorexic? Why do you think he was in the hospital after a mental breakdown? He needed help and YOU weren't there for him. You complain when he doesn't call and the second he walks through the door you chew him out without thinking what he might be going through. People change."

"Obviously! But Roxas will never go back to the way he was."

"He doesn't want to. He wants to move on from where he was seven months ago. He has friends, real friends who stand up for him and accept him for who he is today. They accepted him without knowing his past and the accepted him after hearing about it. If anything it made the bonds with his friends stronger. But you wouldn't understand that! You'd rather tear him apart every chance you get instead of helping put himself back together!"

Roxas's mother remained silent. She tightened her grip on her coffee cup. Then she sighed.

"Fine. Call me a terrible mother. I'm never home and what I say never comes out right. I do what I do out of love for my children. I want them to be happy, including Roxas. If he can find happiness where he's at, then he's free to stay there for as long as he wants." She took her coffee and went upstairs.

Axel returned to Roxas's room and changed into some clean clothes. He pulled out a book for one of his literature classes and started reading. Roxas came back a half an hour later. He had large black bags under his eyes. Roxas flopped onto his bed and pulled the covers over his head. He peeked out at Axel. The red head was reading with his ear phones in and his slim pair of glasses resting on his nose.

"Go back to sleep, Roxas," Axel ordered, not looking up from his book. The teen obliged. He found his headphones on the corner of the bed, placed them on his head, and started a new playlist. Roxas fell asleep in minutes.

Two hours past. Axel continued to read while he waited for Roxas to re-awaken. There was a knock at the door. When no one answered, the door crept open. Roxas's mother stepped inside the room. She was surprised Axel was busy doing homework but seeing Roxas sleeping didn't surprise her one bit. She went over to the bed and sat on the edge. Then she shook the teen's shoulder.

Roxas groaned loudly. His mother slid his headphones from his head since the music was no longer playing. Roxas rolled onto his back and squinted up at his mother.

"Hmm?" Roxas groaned.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing." His mother placed a hand on the side of Roxas's face. "You look healthier."

"Doctor's orders," Roxas replied flatly. His mother removed her hand.

"Is school going alright?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"I'm just checking. Do you have plans for next year?"

"Summer classes."

"Are you behind?"

"Trying to get ahead."

"Well, if that's what you want…have you looked for a place to stay next year? Or are you planning on staying in the dorms again?"

"Axel has space at his apartment." His mother pursed her lips. "It's on campus. There're eight guys living there. I've already talked to them and applied for the opening."

"Are you rooming with someone again?"

"Yeah. He already knows." Roxas sat up and rubbed his eyes with his fists.

"Well, so long as you're happy with where you are, that's all that matters. It was nice seeing you again." His mother stood and kissed Roxas on the forehead. She left clutching the edges of her robe. Roxas sighed and turned to Axel.

"Are you planning on doing homework all day?"

"No. Just say the word and we can do whatever you want."

"'Kay. I was thinking of taking my brother and sister out to eat tonight."

"Oh. Have fun then." Roxas threw his pillow at Axel.

"You're coming too!" Axel threw the pillow back at Roxas.

"Alright then. Where are we going?"

"I'll have Ven and Naminé decide."

"Speaking of Ven, I think he's suspicious."

"About what?"

"You know…" Axel nodded to Roxas and himself.

"If Ven is as dense as he was growing up, then he won't figure it out until he's at least ten." Axel chuckled.

"Have any plans until this evening?"

"No." Axel set his glasses down and put his MP3 on the desk. He crawled onto the bed, straddling Roxas's legs.

"Maybe we should make some then." He licked Roxas's neck.

"Not with my mom home!" Roxas hissed.

"She won't notice if we keep it quiet." Axel found Roxas's mouth and their tongues swirled together. Roxas lost all of his thought processing capabilities again. He and Axel shared a multitude of kisses as the morning wore on. Eventually they settled down on the bed together, simply staring at each other's eyes.

"Hey Roxas?"

"Hmm?"

"Is there anything you wanted to know about me that you already don't know now?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I have this nagging feeling like I don't know you enough."

"You know me plenty." Axel leaned in so their foreheads were touching.

"I want to know everything about you."

"Okay. Did you ever like someone before me?"

"I went on a couple of dates in high school. They didn't add up to much. What about you?"

"I dated Aerith for about three months. She was my first real crush. Looking back, it probably wouldn't have worked out. I think her heart really belonged to Cloud, only he was too dense to see it. You're the first person I ever felt a burning desire to be with."

"Is there something you always wanted and could never have?" Axel questioned.

"Plenty, but I really didn't care too much. If I had to pick something, I'd have to say a day at the beach."

"The beach?"

"Yeah. I've gone plenty of time with my family but I never did much there. I never wanted to swim since people would stare at my chest. I would always run into my classmates there too, which never helped. They would take one look at me and scramble to make sure they got as far away as possible."

"Maybe we should take a trip over the summer."

"I'd like that. Just to two of us?"

"You know the others would hate us if we didn't invite them. Marluxia would find some way to black mail us into inviting more people." Roxas chuckled.

"I suppose you're right. Okay, we'll make it a trip then."

"Deal." Axel kissed Roxas's forehead.

"What about you? Is there something you always wanted?" Axel thought about it for a moment.

"Just a night alone with you." Roxas's cheeks flushed. "I always wanted to get together with someone who really cared about me. Little did I know I would end up with you." Roxas pushed Axel playfully. "Admit it. You would be completely lost without me."

"I would be dead without you." Roxas kissed Axel softly on the lips.

There was a soft knock at the door. Axel and Roxas sat up and quickly made themselves presentable. Roxas's mother poked her head in a moment later.

"Are you two eating lunch?" she asked.

"Um, sure," Roxas replied, trying to get his brain to work again. He could tell his mother suspected something.

"There's stuff for sandwiches in the fridge and chips in the cupboard. Feel free to help yourselves."

"Right. Thanks mom." Roxas's mother stopped short.

"Alright, what's going on?" she demanded.

'Shit!' Roxas thought. 'I haven't said thank you to her in years.' His mother marched over and held her son's chin tightly in her fingers. She studied his face, her eyes dark. Axel felt the color drain from his face and he forced himself to keep from swallowing. Instead, he resorted to biting the inside of his cheek.

"Since when did you start taking lessons in manners?" Roxas's mother hissed.

"I...uh…" Roxas tried to explain. She turned her gaze from her son to Axel. She removed her hand from Roxas's face only to slap him.

"You filthy whore!" she spat. "To see you sink yourself down this low. You're not my son anymore. When you leave tomorrow, don't bother with coming back. You're not welcome here." She turned to Axel and slapped him across the face too.

"You're just as sick! Taking advantage of people when they're emotionally unstable." Roxas lost his temper. He stood and shoved his mother backwards.

"What do you know about him?!" Roxas snapped. "He's cared for me more over the past seven months I've known him than you have in three years! What does it matter to you if he's a guy? Why can't you let me be happy?!"

"If you want people talking about you behind your back the rest of your life, then go right ahead! Be this man's bitch! See what I care when you come crawling back with a broken heart." Axel lowered his gaze to the bed, his hair covering his face in shadow.

"I could give a damn about what other people think!"

"You don't even realized you can never be together! Society won't allow it. Is that what you want with the rest of your life? To be a fag to some guy you hardly know?" Roxas slapped his mother across the face. "DON'T HIT ME!" she screamed. Roxas lunged at her, slamming her against the wall.

"DON'T FUCK WITH ME!" Roxas roared. He slammed his fist into the wall, breaking the drywall and creating a hole. He crushed his mother's throat in his free hand.

"Roxas!" Axel leapt from the bed and ripped him off of his mother. Roxas kicked and bared his teeth but Axel held firm. Roxas's fist smashed into Axel's face, giving the elder male a black eye.

"I should have you arrested," his mother seethed. "Take your precious bitch and leave!" she barked at Axel. She ripped open the door.

"You're just a blind old hag!"

"And you're an insufferable teenager who's lost his mind!"

"I care about him!"

"Then just leave it at friendship. You don't have to destroy your life any further."

"Just listen to me!"

"I'm done listening to you!"

"I LOVE HIM!" Roxas spat. His mother paused, taking a step back.

"What?" Hot tears started to fall out of Roxas's eyes.

"I love him. I know you and dad have had it rough for awhile now, but I remember when you used to be happy together. All my life I just wanted you two to be happy again. Now I've found someone I want to spend the rest of my life with. So what if it's awkward or sick. I don't care! I just want to be with him. He's everything to me…I'd die without him! If you never want me to come back, I can do that. I'll disappear from your life. You'll never have to see me again. Just please don't take this out on Axel." There was a long period of silence.

"Let him have what he wants, Sasha." Auron appeared in the doorway, his business jacket tucked in his arm.

"Auron!" Sasha exclaimed.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Roxas croaked.

"I had a feeling something like this might happen so I stopped by to make sure you were both alright. Not very discrete sleeping in the same bed as a "friend"," Auron commented, talking to Roxas. He turned back to his wife. "Roxas can make his own decisions. If he wants to be with Axel, then so be it. I, for one, won't stop him. He has the right to know I'll support him, no matter what strange decisions he makes." Auron turned back to Axel and Roxas. The black eye on Axel's face was darkening.

"Are you able to take care of Roxas for the rest of your lives?" Auron asked. Axel nodded sharply, his face serious. "And you're both okay with this lifestyle?" Both of the boys nodded. Auron sighed and adjusted his glasses. "Alright then. Roxas, do as you wish. You have my blessing with you."

"But Auron!" Sasha protested.

"It's clear to me those two are closer now than we ever were. Don't be so blind."

"Me? Blind? I'm just thinking rationally!"

"No, you're thinking superficially. What more proof do you want that they want to be together?" Auron asked.

"Proof?! What proof? They're just not thinking…" Sasha stopped talking. Roxas had turned and pulled Axel into a drawn out kiss. Axel's face flushed slightly, fully aware Roxas's parents were watching him. Roxas released his friend, turning his gaze to the floor. Axel released his grip around Roxas's chest and took on of the teen's hands in his own.

"I'll be damned," Sasha whispered. "They really do care." Roxas and Axel stared at Roxas's parents, waiting for them to say something more. Their grip tightened on their hands. Sasha sighed and walked over to Roxas. She brushed a stray hair out of his face.

"This is what you want?" Roxas nodded. Sasha let out a long drawn out breath, rubbing her temples. "Fine then. I see nothing we say will persuade the other." She put a hand on Roxas's cheek. "You really aren't the same man you were three years ago. Maybe the reason I've resented you so much is that I can't let go of the person you once were." She removed her hand and turned to Axel briefly. "Take care of him. There's nothing more I can give." Sasha turned and left the room, her heart severely shaken and broken.

Auron turned back to the boys. "It would probably be best if you don't come back home," he stated. "I don't think your mother can take it. If you ever want to see Ven or Naminé, let me know." Auron walked over and put a hand on Axel's shoulder. "Stay strong." Then he gave Roxas a hug. "See you, kid." Auron turned and left, leaving to head back to work.

The pair stood in silence, neither daring to move. Finally, Roxas collapsed to his knees. Axel knelt next to him.

"Are you okay?" Axel asked quietly.

"I'm fine." He traced Axel's black eye with his fingers. "Does it hurt?"

"I'll get over it." Axel kissed Roxas's forehead. Roxas leaned against Axel, unsure what he should feel. His emotions were rolling all over the place. "Want to take a walk? It might help calm your nerves."

"I'm not sure if my nerves are the ones that need calming. You're white as a sheet," Roxas noticed. Axel rubbed his face vigorously to get his blood flowing again. Roxas lead Axel outside and they walked around the neighborhood. They went out for a late lunch but their stomachs were still queasy so they didn't eat much.

When Ven and Naminé came home from school, the house was calm again. They were excited to be going out to eat with their older brother.

The group left for the metro and they spent the night out on the town. Roxas took them to various small shops before they went and ate. Both Ven and Naminé grew to like Axel and soon he was like another member of the family. They went to a late night movie before heading home to get Ven to bed.

Roxas and Axel packed their bags before curling up together and going to bed. Sleep didn't come easy for them. It took several hours before Roxas drifted off into his dreams. At the sight of the teen's peaceful face, Axel was finally able to relax and find some sleep of his own.

The pair woke late. Auron was already at work. Ven and Naminé were at school. Roxas's mother, Sasha, wrote a note saying she was going shopping and wouldn't be back until late in the afternoon. Roxas got the hint. He and Axel had a small breakfast before getting on the road. Axel slept for part of the car ride but Roxas didn't mind.

They made it back to campus and Roxas decided to stay at Axel's apartment for the night. As he opened his bag to search for his PJ's, he found an envelope buried in his clothes. Roxas studied it but there was nothing remarkable about it. He opened it and found a letter from Naminé.

"Good luck, Roxas. We'll miss you." was all it read. Behind the letter was one of Naminé's drawings. Roxas's eyes widened as he recognized it. It was when they were out to eat the night before. Axel sat on the right, looking away from Roxas as he talked to the waiter with a smile. Roxas sat on the left with a scowl as he looked off into space. A smile crept on Roxas's face as he noticed the lower half of the picture.

Axel's free hand was holding his under the table.

Roxas folded the picture and put it back into his bag. A smile crept onto his face. Then he went to go find Axel.

here...


	10. Chapter 10: School's Out for Summer

Spring break soon passed and the campus was as crazy as ever. With the semester half over, students were beginning to worry about the prospects of their finals. Graduating seniors were busy with finding jobs and places to live. Roxas received word his application was accepted for the Twilight Expansion. Axel was thrilled Roxas would be living with him the next year.

As spring came, the snow melted and left large puddles around the campus. Rain soon followed, making everything even soggier than it already was. April arrived with the prospect of warmer weather and green grass. Roxas was sad to see the snow go. He preferred the cold months of winter to the wet months of spring. This year he was dreading the spring even more. Axel's birthday was approaching and Roxas had no idea what to get him.

He finally decided he needed to go to Marluxia for yet another favor. The hard part would actually asking Marluxia. He was swamped with school and business work, hardly leaving his room. Axel was busy studying for finals so he also rarely left his room. This meant Roxas had about a ten second window to ask Marluxia, which proved harder to find than he originally thought.

Roxas wanted to visit the apartment as much as he could so he could ask Marluxia but end of the term projects were piling up and his group members always wanted to meet during the evenings.

Three days before Axel's birthday, Roxas wondered if he was going to be able to even get a chance to ask Marluxia. He lucked out when he drove over to the apartment and spotted Marluxia taking a walk in the park with his cellphone was pressed against his ear.

'He can't be on his phone the entire time, could he?' Roxas wondered. After he parked, he jogged off to the park after the pink haired man. As he approached, Marluxia was listening to the other side of the line.

"No. What do you mean…changed?" Marluxia asked. He chewed thoughtfully on a strawberry Pocky. "No, that's not what I meant. Are you sure? Yes, I can shuffle some dates around. I'll get back to you. Love you too." Marluxia hung up and sighed heavily. "How may I help you, Roxas?"

"Are you doing okay?" Roxas asked.

"I'm exhausted, but I've live." Marluxia sat up on the bench.

"Do you know what Axel would want for his birthday?"

"Besides you covered in cherries and whipped cream?" Marluxia teased, causing the teen's ears to turn pink. "Let's see…" Marluxia closed his eyes and thought deeply. "To be honest, I'm at a loss. Sorry Roxas. Usually I can think of something, although…"

"Although?"

"There was something Axel mentioned once but I can't quite remember what it was. Give me a moment." Marluxia dialed a number and waited. "Yes, hello? I know I'm outside. What was Axel talking about the other day? No, it's not for Roxas. No I won't pay you! No…fine. I'll talk to her tomorrow. Alright. Thank you." Marluxia hung up and rolled his eyes.

"Dear God, Seifer you drive me mad some days. According to the brick head, Axel wanted some headphones like the ones you had."

"Thanks Marluxia." The elder male waved his hand as if to say 'that's what I do'. "If I ask you for any more favors, I'll start owing you my soul."

"And I'm sure Axel wouldn't be too pleased about that." Marluxia offered him a Pocky before they headed back to the apartment.

XxXxX

The day of Axel's birthday came. It was on a Thursday so he didn't have anything special planned. Roxas joined the group for a meal in town. The older students drank a few rounds before they headed back to do their homework for Friday.

Roxas followed Axel up to his room with his backpack. He had some homework to finish as well but he wanted to give Axel his present. Roxas figured he could work on it afterwards. When they reached Axel's room, Roxas sat on the red head's bed. Axel sat at his desk and looked through his calendar for the homework he needed to finish.

"Hey Axel?" Roxas asked.

"What's up?" Axel turned in his seat to face the blonde. Roxas handed him a poorly wrapped present. "What's this?"

"A gift." Axel opened it and frowned for a second. Then he chuckled.

"You went to Marluxia didn't you?" Roxas averted his gaze.

"If he had caught the whole conversation, he would have known I wanted these headphones to give to you for your birthday." Axel tapped Roxas on the head with the package. Roxas's heart fell. "But I have to ask, where'd you get the design for these?" Roxas looked up again. The headphones had flames on the sides. Above the fire was an engraving of a chakram.

"I had them custom made."

"That's awesome. I didn't know you could do that." Axel opened the plastic and placed the headphones on his head. "How do I look?"

"Perfect," Roxas replied without thinking. Axel laughed and set the headphones on his desk.

"Do you want to know what I wanted for my birthday?"

"Me covered in cherries and whipped cream?" Roxas guessed. Axel fell over laughing hysterically. Tears ran out of his eyes as he lay on the floor.

"Where'd you get that idea from?"

"You're friendly neighborhood roommate."

"Oh Marluxia, you have no taste." Axel sat up and slid up onto the bed with Roxas. "No, what I really wanted was a promise ring."

"What's that?" Axel lay back on his bed, keeping his feet on the floor.

"It's a ring you give to someone special. It symbolizes a promise between the two, whatever that promise might be."

"What promise did you want to make?"

"When this is all over, when we leave this world, we'll meet in the next life." Roxas felt a smile blush his lips.

"Close your eyes." Axel obeyed, curious to what Roxas was going to do. Roxas reached behind his neck and unclipped his dog collar. Then he held the back of it above Axel's face. "Okay." Axel opened his eyes. On the back of the dog collar were some Japanese letters stitched in white. "Kitai," Roxas read. Axel sat up and studied the back of the collar.

'I remember seeing those before but I never knew what they meant. I thought it was a brand logo.' Axel thought. Roxas went behind Axel and proceeded to clip it around his neck.

"I promise we'll meet again in our next lives," Roxas murmured. When the collar was fastened, Axel ran his fingers over the outer stitching and short silver spikes.

"But Roxas, this is your favorite!" Axel protested. Roxas smiled soflty.

"Only for my favorite person." Axel felt honored. He wasn't used to having something around his neck but he figured the strangling sensation would soon wear off.

"Thanks," Axel said with a soft smile.

Roxas leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Axel tackled the teen and pinned him to the bed. They hungrily devoured each other's lips and necks. Roxas slid his hands up Axel's spine. One hand traced the scar with gently fingertips while the other lifted his shirt. Axel got the hint and removed it, tossing it onto the floor. He pressed against Roxas, tangling their fingers together so their palms touched. Roxas closed his eyes, his heart beating wildly.

Axel lifted his head up to breath. He watched Roxas lie under him. The teen's cheeks were bright red and his breathing was labored. His face was a mix of emotions: love, longing, curiosity, and calculation. 'I wonder what I look like to him.' Axel thought to himself. He brought his lips down to the blonde's neck and licked the nerve Roxas was infamous for. Roxas gasped, his body tensing. Axel slipped one of his knees between Roxas's legs. Then he slid his hands down Roxas's back as he kissed the teen breathless. His fingers wrapped around the underside of the blonde's ass and gave a playful squeeze. Axel then brought his hands back up and slid Roxas's shirt upwards.

The white X emerged from underneath the fabric. Roxas moaned as Axel ran his tongue over the scar. "Axel…!" Roxas cried softly as the red head dragged his tongue farther along his chest and gave his nipple a quick bite. He could feel the heat coming from the elder male and it made him yearn to go further. Axel lay on top of Roxas and they entered another round of tongue twirling kisses. Roxas rubbed his toes over Axel's lower legs, massaging the muscles. Axel slid his knee from between Roxas's legs and he pressed their hips together.

Roxas's breathing started getting faster as Axel slowly rubbed his hips over the blonde's groin. Roxas whimpered as Axel started to devour his lips again.

'God just FUCK ME ALREADY!' Roxas screamed in his mind.

The sound of a printer snapped him back to reality.

Roxas turned his head to find Marluxia at his desk working. Roxas's face flushed and his heart tightened. 'Oh God when did he get here?' Roxas asked, panicking.

"Just ignore him," Axel muttered in his hear as he sucked on the upper cartilage.

"You can't be serious!" Roxas hissed.

"Don't mind me," Marluxia reassured him. Roxas looked up at Axel.

"Axel!" he hissed.

"Hey Marly!" Axel called. Marluxia looked over his shoulder. Axel pointed to his ear. Marluxia realized his mistake and plugged his headphones into his computer. Then he cranked the volume.

"Don't mind the printer!" Marluxia said louder than normal. Axel turned back to Roxas.

"See? No problem."

"Don't tell me you do this when everyone else has company over?"

"Sure do. Why else do you think we all have headphones? It's a good thing you have a pair because you're going to need them for next year, especially if you're rooming with Seifer," Axel said in a raspy voice into Roxas's ear. It sent a shiver down the teen's spine.

Roxas felt his body slowly return to its normal functioning. He sighed. 'Damn you Marluxia. You're such a buzz-kill.'

He turned back to Axel, feeling disappointed.

"Sorry," he muttered. Axel laid his head on Roxas's chest.

"It's not your fault. I suppose I took it too far, huh?" Roxas shook his head. Axel smirked. "We'll have to go someplace more private next time." Axel propped himself up on his elbows. "You're like a kitten: you're so adorable when you purr for me."

"Next time I'll have you purr." Axel chuckled.

"That's only happened once and you won't be able to take me by surprise again."

"I'll find a way." Axel kissed Roxas's jaw.

"I look forward to it." They proceeded to kiss softly until late into the night.

XxXxX

With the passing of Axel's birthday, April was coming to a close. May was soon upon them, bringing warm temperatures and humidity. Finals were the biggest priority to all of the students. Roxas didn't go over to the apartment since he wasn't able to concentrate there. As he read over his notes, he noticed Pence was taking down his Deathly Hallows poster. Roxas had almost forgotten about it.

"Packing already?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah. I have finals for the next three days and then I'm done by Thursday afternoon. You?"

"Friday morning."

"Good luck." Pence gave Roxas a sheepish smile.

"I suppose this is the last time we'll be hanging out."

"We'll have to hang out next year. You're living with Hayner in the dorms, right?"

"Yeah. He's not bad but I guarantee he won't be as quiet as you. Are you and Axel doing okay?"

"Yeah. We have plans to go out with everyone on Friday."

"Sounds like fun. That's your birthday, right?"

"Don't remind me." Pence laughed.

"Don't be so glum. You can have alcohol now or at least on Friday you can. Go have fun and hang out for a bit." Pence went to his wardrobe and pulled out a white bag. "Here." He gave it to Roxas.

"What's this?"

"You're birthday gift. I almost forgot about it too." Pence rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. Roxas took out the tissue paper before pulling out the contents. Inside were two CD's. They were the latest releases from his favorite artists.

"Where did you get these?" Roxas demanded. "These aren't even in stores yet!"

"I special pre-ordered them. They came in the mail before the release date." Roxas jumped out of his chair and hugged Pence tightly.

"Thank you."

"I should be thanking you!" Roxas released his friend and they laughed together.

"Hey, you want to go get some ice cream?"

"You bet!" They went to the ice cream parlor and ordered their favorite treats, toasting to the end of the year.

XxXxX

When Thursday came, Roxas helped Pence pack up his van. Pence was going home for the summer to be with his family and work at his old summer job. Roxas was sad to see him go. They gave each other a quick hug before Pence drove off. Roxas returned to his room. It felt very empty. All of his stuff was packed and on the floor. The walls were bare and his desk barren. It was his last night in the dorm.

Roxas enjoyed the evening by himself by having a ramen cup and watching an action movie on his laptop. Friday morning came and Roxas felt butterflies in his stomach. After his morning final, he headed over to Axel's apartment. There, he helped Terra and Lexaeus pack their cars. Riku and Seifer were going to be gone for parts of the summer as well but they weren't leaving until later. After lunch, Axel helped Roxas check out of the dorm and move into his new room. As they got there, Sora was moving in as well. They crowded the second floor hall with their bags of clothes and boxes of school supplies.

Once Roxas was unpacked, he could see a definite difference in his side of the room. Seifer's side was very disorganized where as Roxas's stuff was put away in almost an OCD manner. He stopped by Riku's room and found it no longer looked devoid of life. Sora had put up posters and filled his side of the room with various electronics.

The group of ten went out late to eat. Sora was the only one not old enough to drink, as the legal age was twenty and his birthday wasn't until September.

They stayed out late, having fun and not worrying about school for a change. Roxas wasn't a huge fan of alcohol but he had a couple of drinks. When the night got late, everyone headed back to the apartment. The next morning Terra and Lexaeus said their farewells and left KHU behind. The day was filled with video games, movies, and snacks. By the time evening hit, everyone was energetic from eating far too much sugar and processed foods. They went clubbing for the night and came back exhausted.

The weekend passed. By Monday, Seifer, Riku and Sora had left for home. Roxas walked around the empty apartment, amazed at the quiet. He went upstairs to see what Axel was up to and found Marluxia packing several large bags.

"Going somewhere?" Roxas asked.

"Hong Kong. I'll be there for a week before Tifa and I travel together to her next study abroad location: Iceland. What she wants to there for a summer I have no idea. Axel's going to drive me, Demyx and Zexion to the airport tomorrow morning. I'll be gone for twelve days. You have my number if you need anything. And could you please keep the apartment somewhat tidy while I'm gone?"

"Wait, where are Demyx and Zexion going?"

"Jamaica. They're going on a three week vacation together. That'll leave you here with Axel…alone…" Marluxia smiled wickedly. "Now if you excuse me, I really have to pack." Roxas took his leave and went to find Axel in the basement. He was watching a movie with Demyx and Zexion. Roxas joined them.

"So, Jamaica huh?" Roxas asked.

"We just wanted a vacation," Zexion explained.

"Don't be such a wuss! It's for his birthday!" Demyx whispered from behind his hand. Roxas smirked.

"I don't know why you have to plan lavish vacations for me," Zexion grumbled.

"Because you're so damn sexy." Demyx licked Zexion's neck, bringing a smile to the dark haired man's face. "What are you two going to do while we're all gone?"

"Lie on the floor and stare at the ceiling," Axel teased.

"Oh! That's not nice to leave out the details." Demyx pouted.

"I'm sure you'll hear all about it when you get back," Zexion reasoned.

"Perhaps. We'll just have to juice it out of Roxas." The teen's face flushed.

"Why me?!" Roxas protested.

"Because you'll be powerless against me and my sex dungeon, my little greenstick," Demyx said in a cool and venomous voice.

"You wouldn't."

"We'll see how strong you're will is."

"He'll break," Zexion commented. "We know his secret."

"What secret?" Roxas asked.

"We'll dress Axel in grunge and chain him to the wall. That should turn you on to your little sexual fantasies," Demyx teased.

"No…!"

"Don't try to protest, Roxas. We all saw how you were drooling over Axel on Halloween. I don't think Axel would mind if we tortured him a bit to get the details from Roxas," Zexion added. Axel threw up his hands, showing he was neutral in the argument. Roxas was left in a stunned and disturbed silence.

The next morning Roxas woke up to an empty apartment. Everyone was gone. It made the building feel eerie. Axel didn't return until late in the morning. He went back to bed to take a nap, having to wake up at three to drive to the airport. Roxas didn't disturb him.

It was early in the evening when Axel came downstairs. Roxas was making a grilled cheese.

"Hey," Roxas greeted.

"Hey there." Axel walked over and wrapped his arms around Roxas's waist. "Is there room for two?"

"If you want a sandwich, then yes I can make you one." Axel grinned and laid his head on Roxas's shoulder. Roxas made a second sandwich for his friend. They ate in silence and then did what little dishes were left on the counter. As Axel finished drying, he eyed Roxas. The blonde was putting cups away in the cupboard.

"Say Roxas, I never got you your birthday present." Roxas looked up, a bit confused.

"I didn't know you got me anything."

"I did, but I had to save it for when no one else was around."

"Um, okay…" Roxas finished putting the dishes away, noticing how Axel was eyeing him like a piece of fresh meat. They headed upstairs, Roxas feeling the anticipation in his stomach grow with each step.

'What is he up to?' Roxas wondered. When they reached Axel's room, Axel went to his desk and pulled out a box. Roxas let out a held in breath as he realized Axel had bought him an actual gift. Axel gave him the box. Roxas opened it and found a round dog tag inside with the number XIII printed on it.

"Thirteen?" Roxas asked.

"My lucky number," Axel joked. He took the tag and clipped it onto Roxas's red dog collar. "My promise to you: we'll always be together."

Roxas touched the tag on his neck tenderly. It made him feel warm inside.

"Thanks Axel." Roxas kissed the red head happily.

Axel caught Roxas's shoulder as he was leaning back. He pulled Roxas up close and whispered in his ear.

"Don't think that's your only present this year." Roxas face turned red.


	11. Chapter 11: Cosmic Love

"Wha…?" Roxas started, his nerves frazzled. Axel leaned down and nibbled on his neck.

"Remember what I told you before?"

"Um, when was this exactly?"

"Over Christmas. Don't tell me you already forgot?" Axel's teeth scraped against Roxas's nerve. A chill ran down his spine.

"But…" Roxas tried to protest. Axel backed Roxas up until he was pressed against the wall. He kissed Roxas on the lips, running his hands up the blonde's chest. Roxas 's fists curled around the fabric of Axel's shirt sleeves. He felt Axel lift his shirt higher and higher. Roxas helped him by taking it off altogether. Axel kissed his scar tenderly.

Roxas felt his breathing start to get heavy. 'Already?' He thought. Roxas pulled at the top of Axel's shirt, pulling it off of the man's back. Axel removed his shirt and tossed it next to Roxas's. Axel attacked Roxas with another round of mouth war. Their tongues fought over whose mouth was better. Axel pulled back, a thin train of saliva dripped him his chin.

"You're not trying very hard," Axel said coolly. Roxas stepped away from the wall, slipping under Axel's arm.

"Sorry," Roxas muttered, going to retrieve his shirt. His fingers barely brushed the fabric when Axel pulled him away by his waist. The elder male threw Roxas onto his bed. Roxas stared up at Axel, who was stalking closer.

Axel sat on top of his legs. "What are you afraid of?" Axel asked.

"I don't want to ruin it."

"You couldn't even if you tried." Axel pressed his lips against Roxas, pushing him downward until he was lying back on the bed. He dipped his tongue in the blonde's mouth, silencing Roxas of all protests. Axel went onto devour Roxas's neck. He struck the nerve again and this time Roxas let out a small gasp. Axel grinned.

Roxas ran his fingers through Axel's hair. 'I can't believe this is happening again.' Roxas thought. He felt Axel's hips slide until they were sitting on top of his own.

Axel slowly slid his hand down Roxas's chest. His fingers reached past the blonde's waist and began to unbutton his pants. Roxas felt a hot blush spread across his face. Axel's throat purred, vibrating against Roxas's neck. The blonde closed his eyes.

Roxas turned his head so he could find Axel's lips. Axel's thumb caught the edge of his pants and tugged at them. One of Roxas's hips was exposed. Roxas forced Axel onto his back, taking control of the upper position. He kissed all of the scars on Axel's chest starting at the top. The lower he got, the more he could make Axel squirm. Axel forced Roxas back to the lower position. His hand slid past the blonde's hips and traced the inside of his thigh. Roxas let out a loud gasp. Axel pulled the remainder of Roxas's pants off. Roxas kicked them away, leaving his legs exposed.

Axel met his lips with his lovers. Roxas pulled Axel closer so their bodies were pressed together. Axel ground his hips back and forth. The movement made Roxas gasp, the red on his cheeks deepening. Axel could feel the heat of Roxas's groin again him. He sat up straight so he could unbutton his own pants. Roxas lay against the bed, his insides slowly turning to putty. He wanted to see more of Axel. He sat up and ripped the jeans from his lover. Axel snickered and pulled Roxas into a deep kiss.

"Are you ready?" he whispered. Roxas could only nod.

Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas and started to lick under his chin. Roxas tilted his head back, allowing the other to trail his tongue down his entire throat. Roxas brought his head back and devoured Axel's lips. They fell back against the bed.

Axel slid his hands into Roxas's boxers. The blonde could feel a rush of warmth spread to his lower body. Axel stroked him gently, making Roxas throb. His back arched as Axel gave him a playful squeeze. Roxas grabbed the waist band of Axel's boxers and pulled them back. He could feel Axel smile as their lips continued to dance together. Roxas slid his own boxers off, exposing himself.

Axel released Roxas's mouth. His breathing was ragged from the lack of air. He took a moment to admire his lover. Axel smirked.

"What?" Roxas asked, his chest glistening with sweat.

"You're more than adorable, you're beautiful," Axel whispered in his ear. Roxas blushed. His hand unconsciously went to his neck. He rubbed the dog tag between his fingers. His eyes ventured up to Axel. The elder male was still wearing the dog collar Roxas gave him. Roxas smiled.

He sat back on his elbows, causing Axel to sit up straight. Roxas took a moment to examine Axel.

"See anything you like?" Axel teased.

"I'll take it all," Roxas replied. Axel slid farther down Roxas's legs. He kissed the blonde's growing erection. Roxas's chest tightened. Axel gave the blonde a lick. Roxas moaned loudly, digging his fingers into the sheets. Axel ran his tongue over the tip of the cock. Roxas's hips flexed. His breathing started to pick up speed. Axel devoured Roxas's dick. The blonde could barely keep his head on straight as waves of pleasure coursed through his body.

"Axel…!" Roxas gasped, his hips flexing. Axel ran his tongue over the tip again. Roxas let out a small cry. His legs wrapped around Axel's waist. His body began to tremble as the waves of pleasure started to peak. "Axel, I…uhn!" Roxas couldn't complete his sentence. His back arched and he threw his head back. Axel squeezed the blonde's sack between his fingers. Roxas lost his mind.

He forced his hips downward, his legs flexing on their own. Axel gave him one last suck and Roxas gave a strangled cry. He ripped the sheets as his nails dug through the fabric. He felt his body release as he rode the climax.

Roxas lay panting on the bed. His face was glazed with sweat. Axel swirled his tongue around Roxas's cock and slowly sat up. He hovered over Roxas. Then he invited Roxas for a kiss. Roxas accepted it, feeling a thick liquid run down the back of his throat. He licked Axel's mouth clean, swallowing his own semen.

Axel snaked his way back down to Roxas's groin and pulled his legs apart. He used his fingers to pry the blonde open. Roxas flinched as Axel pressed his fingers deeper. He recalled what Zexion told him about the pain and decided not to worry about it. A loud gasp escaped his lips as he felt Axel press inside of him. Roxas felt the heat from Axel's cock and it made him burn. He wanted more. Roxas could feel his own groin heating up again.

Axel wove his fingers with Roxas's, pressing their palms together. The blonde's face was strained under the feelings of his own pleasure. Axel rocked his hips forward and back. Roxas felt his body respond to the pain by blocking it out with the endorphins running through his veins. He could feel every movement Axel made down to the slightest throb of his enlarged member.

Axel's pace quickened. Roxas leapt up and kissed him passionately. Axel's breath was ragged and fierce. Roxas wanted more. His hands slowly slid on the sheets until they were above his head. As Axel let his mouth go to breath, Roxas could hear his ragged breathing. He leaned forward and started kissing him under his jaw. He noticed a change in Axel's expression. The blush on the man's face deepened and his pupils dilated. Then he clamped his eyes shut. Axel grunted as he started to cum. His grip was crushing on Roxas's hands.

Roxas yelped in pain as Axel thrust his cock deep into his ass. Axel's muscles flexed heavily. Then he relaxed, his breathing labored. Sweat beaded on his brow.

"I'm sorry," he panted.

"Don't be," Roxas breathed. He flinched as Axel removed himself from his ass. Axel lay down on top of Roxas, sharing each other's presence.

"How'd I do?" Axel asked, his head on the mattress next to Roxas's. The blonde gave him a long kiss. The taste of his discharge still lingered on their lips.

"Better than I ever could have imagined." Axel kissed his eye lids, running his fingers through Roxas's wild locks.

"Well, we have ten days together. What do you want to do?"

"I have class next week," Roxas reminded.

"Right…" Roxas giggled. "What?"

"You're cute when you don't get what you want." Axel made a face. "Don't feel bad. I like it."

"You and your weird tastes." Roxas smiled warmly.

"That's me. Hey, can you get off? I'm starting to get itchy. I'm going to go shower."

"Want some company?"

"Who said anything about an invitation?" Axel frowned. Roxas brought his mouth to Axel's ear. "That was an order." Axel smiled wickedly. "Besides, who's going to scrub my back for me?" Axel pushed himself off of Roxas. The blonde slipped out of the bed and headed for the bathroom, Axel's hand wrapped in his own.

The second they stepped into the shower, they were at each other's throats. Roxas dragged his nails down Axel's back as the red head licked the sweat from his neck. After completing absolutely nothing shower related for over an hour, Roxas jumped onto Axel's hips. His legs wrapped tightly around the taller man's thin waist. Axel stepped out of the shower and lowered Roxas to the ground.

He found his way inside the blonde again. Roxas's moans and cries spurned him on. The blonde's nails dug into his thighs. "Axel, I think I might cum…oh S-H-I-T!" Roxas's hips bucked as he was overtaken with ecstasy. His ass tightened around Axel's throbbing dick. Axel ground his nails into the floor as he came. His heavy panting was erotic to the younger male.

Axel lay back on the floor, exhausted. Roxas sat on top of him, his blushing his full of life. He kissed Axel's chest, slowly going lower. Roxas's body recovered faster the second time and he dug his way into Axel's ass. Axel flinched at the sensation.

"God, you never said it hurt!" Axel barked.

"Who said it hurt?" Roxas said in a raspy voice. He turned on his darker side to take over the situation. Roxas ran his nails down Axel's sides and licked his chest hungrily. He had his way with the older male until he too came. Roxas was left gasping for air. He collapsed on Axel's chest. Axel wrapped his arms around his back and shoulders.

"Not as easy as it looks, huh?" Axel asked. Roxas took some big gulps of air.

"No, but damn was it worth it." Axel chuckled and kissed the top of Roxas's head. The blonde lay still, listening to Axel's heartbeat. "I suppose we won't be able to stay off of each other during the school year."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"Won't Marluxia get fed up with me in your room?"

"No. He'd rather considerate a favor so we'd have to repay him back later."

"No wonder everyone seems to owe Marluxia."

"Devious, I know. He's always been like that."

Roxas's breathing calmed and he was overcome with a wave of exhaustion. He could barely keep his eyes open. Axel noticed Roxas's sleepy face. He lifted his lover bridal style and carried him back to their bed. They curled up together under the covers, feeling complete. As Roxas drifted off, he clutched the dog tag around his neck in his hand. Axel had given him two precious gifts to him for his birthday and both of them were worth it.


	12. Chapter 12: Standing in the Rain

Roxas felt his mind start to wake up. He groaned and buried his head deeper into the sheets.

"Morning," Axel muttered in his ear. Roxas slowly opened his eyes and yawned. His body was sore and it hurt to move.

"Uhn…" Roxas replied, half-asleep.

"Got back to sleep, you lazy cat," Axel teased.

"How long have you been up?" Roxas asked groggily.

"About two hours, but it hardly seemed like five minutes. I could watch you sleep all day." Roxas rolled over and pressed his head against Axel's bare chest.

"Axel?"

"Hm?"

"I'm hungry." Axel chuckled. He lifted Roxas's chin and gave him a kiss.

"Anything for you." Axel crawled out of bed and slipped on his boxers and his jeans. Roxas remained curled up on the bed, drifting in and out of sleep. Axel made his way downstairs and started making breakfast. While he was cooking some eggs, he got a call from Marluxia.

"How was the trip?" Axel greeted.

"God! It was awful. I didn't get an ounce of sleep. Too many people keep trying to contact me. Don't they get the hint I'm on vacation?"

"I guess not." There was some side chatter Axel couldn't make out.

"Tifa says hi. She wants to meet your boyfriend when she gets back to school."

"You told her?"

"I had to tell her something. The second I got off the plane she was grilling me for details for what has happened since Spring Break."

"I am not!" Axel heard Tifa shout into the phone.

"Anyway, I was just calling to see if everything is going okay over there."

"Yeah, we're doing great. Roxas is still asleep so I'm making breakfast."

"Did you…?

"You could say that." Marluxia sighed.

"Please tell me my room is still intact."

"Don't worry about it. By the time you get home, we'll have the whole place spotless. It could use a deep cleaning anyway."

"No doubt. Well, Tifa got us a taxi so I have to go. Cheerio!" Marluxia ended the call. Axel finished making breakfast and brought it upstairs on two plates. Roxas was looking at random websites on his phone when Axel arrived.

"Brought you something," Axel offered. Roxas took the plate and ravenously started cleaning his plate. Axel sat his desk, taking his time to eat his food. When Roxas had literally licked his plate clean, he started eyeing Axel's food. Axel rolled his eyes and handed over what was left of his breakfast. Roxas joyfully cleaned his second plate.

"Damn, I've never seen you so hungry before," Axel commented.

"Shut up!" Roxas protested, savoring his last bit of toast. When it was gone he threw his legs out of bed so he could go find more to eat. When he stood, Roxas yelped and collapsed. Axel managed to catch him but the plates were sent rolling across the carpet.

"Are you okay?"

"My legs hurt, that's all."

"You're out of shape," Axel pointed out.

"It's not my fault I don't like to exercise."

"Talk to Seifer when he gets back. He goes to the the gym here on campus. Maybe you can persuade him to take you with him." Roxas scowled. He limped along the floor and crawled into his boxers. Axel picked up the plates. "Can you make it down stairs on your own?"

"Don't worry about me. Just go make more food." Axel rolled his eyes and headed back to the kitchen. Roxas flinched with each step as he made his way back to his room. 'Zexion wasn't kidding when he said he was worried about me. My legs feel like their being twisted off and my ass feel like there's a flaming pinecone shoved in it. I suppose I'll get used to it. Otherwise I'm going to need a fucking wheelchair!'

Roxas finally got to his room and found his favorite pair of black shorts. He slipped them on with a green t-shirt. Then he made his way to the first floor. Roxas found moving became easier the farther he walked but the pain still remained. He entered the kitchen and pulled out a pack of Poptarts. Roxas ate them while Axel made him a second round of eggs and toast, which he finished off in minutes.

"Geez! Slow down," Axel commented as Roxas finished off his third glass of juice. Roxas finally felt full. He lazily went to the couch in the living room and lay down on his stomach. Axel cleaned the dishes before going over to his friend. Roxas was dozing on the couch. Axel sat behind him and started to rub the blonde's back. He felt Roxas slowly start to relax as his muscles enjoyed the massage.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Axel asked.

"I'm fine," Roxas replied, his voice muffled from the couch. Axel crawled on top of Roxas and lay over him like a blanket.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"You can fuck me again."

"Won't that just make it worse?"

"It'll take my mind off of it." Axel licked the side of Roxas's neck.

"Just let me know if it hurts." Roxas smiled victoriously.

XxXxX

Monday came and summer classes started. So did the rain. It poured for hours at a time, only letting up when a fog bank rolled in. Roxas went to his classes while Axel stayed home to deep clean the apartment. By Wednesday, the rain was still pouring. Roxas came home soaking wet from his class. His backpack was wrapped in plastic bags to keep his books dry.

As he made his way upstairs to take a warm shower, he felt his stomach squirm. He shed his clothes and took a hot shower. Then he made himself some lunch. As he was eating, he suddenly didn't like the taste of his food. Roxas slowly chewed on his sandwich, wondering if he should swallow or spit it out.

His stomach heaved and Roxas bolted to the sink. His lunch came back to haunt him as he threw up for a second time. Axel came running from the basement. He had a bandana around his head to keep his hair back while he was cleaning.

"Roxas?" he called. He found the blonde hunched over the sink, his breathing labored. Axel pressed the back of his hand to Roxas's forehead. "You're burning up!" Roxas spat in the sink, his mouth tasting like sour milk. "Let's get you to bed. Hopefully you just got a 24 hour flu." Axel helped his friend up the stairs and tucked him in.

On Saturday, Axel drove to the airport to pick up Marluxia. He came back exhausted but relatively happy. He also brought some rather sudden news.

"You can't mean this summer?!" Axel exclaimed.

"I'm afraid so. She's too impatient. August first is the wedding and we're going to be in Japan. I hope you and Roxas can make it."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world, provided Roxas gets better."

"What happened?"

"We're not sure. He came back Wednesday feeling poorly. He's had a fever on and off since then. He eats practically nothing, although…" Axel paused to think. Marluxia peered over at him anxiously. "No wonder he got sick."

"What?"

"Ever since Roxas moved in he's eaten nothing but eggs, ramen, grilled cheese and frozen meals. I guess I never realized he didn't know how to cook. A combination of his poor diet and being wet for five hours a day while he's at classes is probably what caused it."

"Oh, Roxas. What are we going to do with you?" Marluxia wondered aloud.

When they got back to the apartment, they found Roxas sleeping on the kitchen counter. He had fallen asleep while eating. Axel went over and felt his forehead. His face fell.

"His fever's back," Axel stated. With a sigh, Axel headed back to his car.

"Where are you headed?" Marluxia asked.

"The drug store. Be back in a few." Axel waved over his shoulder and drove off. Marluxia sighed and brought his bags up to his room. After an hour of unpacking, Marluxia dragged his dirty clothes to the basement. He noticed Roxas hadn't moved from the counter. Marluxia started a load of laundry and went back to check on Roxas.

The blonde's cheeks were pink from the fever. His breathing was shallow and raspy. Marluxia coaxed Roxas awake.

"We should get you up to bed," Marluxia suggested. Roxas didn't protest. Once he was asleep in his own bed, Marluxia put a damp cloth on his forehead.

The next week passed by very slowly. Marluxia was swamped with catching up with his work while Axel tended to Roxas. Roxas kept pushing himself by going to his classes so his condition didn't improve much over the week. By midweek, he had developed a hacking cough. Marluxia was worried Roxas had pneumonia so they took the young tenant to the hospital. Roxas came up negative but he was put on a strict recovery, which meant until he was better Roxas would have to miss class.

Demyx and Zexion returned on Sunday afternoon. They were tan and extremely energetic from the jet lag. Marluxia had to scold them to keep their voices down while Roxas slept. Monday came and it brought more rain. Axel had left the apartment to talk to Roxas's professors about the assignments he would be missing while Marluxia was away on a business meeting.

Zexion found himself alone in his room reading. Normally he would have enjoyed the moment but he felt something constantly nagging him in the back of his mind. With a sigh, he closed his book and went to find where Demyx had vanished to. Zexion found him in the kitchen watching a pot of soup simmer on the stove.

"Hungry?" Zexion asked. Demyx looked up from his entertainment.

"No. I was just making some for Roxas. He's not eating and if he gets any thinner he'll never recover. I talked to Axel and Marluxia about what foods he was able to stomach. This is about the best I could come up with." Zexion went to the stove and smelled the contents of the pot.

"Chicken noodle soup?"

"Sort of. It's chicken noodle without the chicken or the noodles."

"So carrots, celery and chicken base soup?"

"Something like that." Demyx went to the fridge and poured a small glass of apple juice into a cup with a straw. Zexion pulled the soup from the stove and poured it into a bowl. They brought Roxas's lunch up to his room.

The blonde appeared to be sleeping except his face appeared to be in pain. He was propped up on four pillows so he could breath. Various medications sat on his small night stand. Demyx removed the cloth from his face and went to the bathroom to exchange it. Zexion pulled up a chair next to Roxas's bed.

"Roxas, are you hungry?" Zexion asked quietly. Roxas cracked open his eyes and peered over at Zexion. The dark haired male smiled back at him.

"Yeah…" Roxas sat up a bit straighter. Zexion handed him the bowl of soup and watched over Roxas as he ate. Two bites in, Roxas started coughing violently. Zexion grabbed the bowl of soup before it spilled. Roxas leaned back against his pillows. "Thanks."

"It's alright. Did the doctor get back to you on his diagnosis?"

"Influenza and bronchitis. They put me on medication." Roxas motioned to his nightstand. Zexion set the soup on his lap and read the labels on the drugs.

"These are some heavy prescriptions."

"I wanted to get back to class."

"Normally one would be overjoyed to skip out on school." Roxas shook his head.

"I have to finish my summer courses to graduate a year ahead."

"But why?"

"So I can finish the same time as Axel." Zexion felt his heart melt for the blonde. He truly wanted nothing more than to be with Axel. Demyx returned with a cool cloth and placed it on Roxas's head.

"Eat up! You're going to need your strength," Demyx encouraged.

"For what?"

"Travel. We're going to Japan!"

"For what?" Roxas asked again.

"Marluxia's wedding! They moved the date up so we're going to go with him. It's going to be great! Apparently it's going to be all traditional so we get to wear the works: kimonos, sandals, accessories and whatever else you can think of. Personally, I really want one of those fans they carry around. Then I can whack people with it when they get too close to Zexion," Demyx said with a sassy smile.

Roxas coughed again before taking back his soup. He sipped it straight out of the bowl until it was empty. As the soup settled in his stomach, he felt a little bit better.

"Thanks guys. You would make some awesome parents." Zexion chuckled while Demyx gave him a large grin.

"Thanks, Roxas. That means a lot," Zexion stated.

"Do you have any plans for the future? You know, after graduation?"

"You mean like marriage?" Demyx asked.

"Yeah." The pair chuckled. "I don't understand."

"Oh, Roxas, what do you think we did in Jamaica? Lay around on the beach all day?" Demyx asked. He and Zexion held up their left hands. A thin silver band was wrapped around their ring fingers. Roxas's eyes grew wide.

"It was a spur of the moment sort of thing," Zexion admitted. Roxas smiled.

"Congratulations! If I had known, I would have gone with," Roxas commented.

"It was a private wedding anyway," Demyx corrected. "Need to know basis."

"Will you tell the others?"

"Only if they ask. Axel and Marluxia already know so you're welcome to discuss it freely with them," Zexion replied.

"Speaking of which," Demyx started, "how was your week off with Axel? Was it…electrifying?" Roxas felt his cheeks flush slightly.

"Need to know basis," Roxas replied.

"Oh no, you're not getting away with that excuse. Spill it!"

"We're only curious," Zexion added. Roxas sighed, realizing there was no reasoning with the couple.

"It was nice," Roxas replied quietly.

"Did you do anything fun?" Demyx pressed. Roxas unconsciously rubbed the dog tag on his collar. Demyx and Zexion exchanged glances. Roxas buried his forehead into his fists, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"We slept together," Roxas muttered.

"And?" Zexion asked.

"I liked it."

"Couldn't keep your hands off each other, could you?" Demyx pushed.

"No!" Roxas protested, turning to glare at the pair. The blush on his face said otherwise.

"Don't feel embarrassed, Roxas. You're talking to pair of gay college students. We won't judge you in the slightest," Zexion reasoned.

"Oh, let him be, Zexi. If we pressed Roxas too much he'll explode all over the walls," Demyx interrupted, putting a hand on his lover's shoulder. "We'll grill him once he's better. That way he can't faint on us." Zexion and Demyx laughed together. Roxas lowered his gaze again.

"Rest up, Roxas," Zexion said before he took his leave with Demyx. Roxas grabbed his cup of juice and sipped on it. His mind was lost in thought.

XxXxX

Seifer slammed the door on his truck and carried his bags inside. He had left home early due to family conflicts. 'They never fucking stop.' Seifer growled in his head. He stormed up the stairs and kicked open his door. He paused when he saw Roxas. Roxas's laptop sat on his desk chair, playing a movie. Unfortunately, the movie played for no one. Roxas lay sleeping on his side, his breathing steady.

Seifer set down his bags and went over to his roommate's nightstand. Pill bottles were spread out over the small space with prescriptions. Most of the bottles were empty. Seifer checked his watch. 'Doesn't he have class?' Seifer wondered as he noted it was Thursday. He stopped caring and went back to unpacking his belongings. When he was finished, he sprawled out on his bed. The movie played in the background.

There was a knock at the door. Seifer looked up to find Axel there with a bowl of ramen. "Welcome back," the tall man stated.

"Eh," Seifer replied, returning his gaze to the wall. Axel noticed Roxas was sleeping. He cleared a spot on the cluttered nightstand and set the bowl down. Axel sighed as he noticed a set of pills on the bottom of a bottle. He poked Roxas until he woke from his slumber.

"Hey, you were supposed to take these this morning," Axel reminded, his tone serious.

"I thought I did," Roxas replied. Axel held up the bottle as proof. "Oh."

"You'll never get better if you don't take the full prescription." Roxas sat up and popped the pills into his mouth.

"Not that I care, but why are you here?" Seifer asked.

"My job," Axel replied sharply.

"Nursemaid?" Seifer sneered.

"No, pharmacist. I double checked the prescriptions myself and it's my job to nag at people who can't remember to take them." Seifer rolled his eyes. He got up from his bed and found his keys.

"Smell you later, losers." Seifer took his leave. Axel sighed and rubbed his temples.

"Why did we ever agree to have him here?" Axel muttered to himself.

"How did he end up here?" Roxas asked.

"Marluxia, Lexaeus, Vexen and I applied for an apartment under recommendation from Demyx. He had spent his sophomore year here. My third year we moved in together here. There were still some spots open so Demyx invited Zexion to join. Terra was living here with Demyx already so there was one spot left open. We let the school pick the last person and we were stuck with him ever since," Axel explained.

"Why doesn't he leave?"

"Honestly, we have no idea. I think he stuck around for the last two years because of Terra. Since he only has one year left, my guess is he was too lazy to look for another place to live."

"Makes sense."

"I hope he doesn't give you any trouble. Marluxia's about the only one who can put up with him, now that Terra and Lexaeus are gone. I'm hoping his ridiculous schedule will keep him from being too much of a prick."

"Is engineering that tough?"

"Fifth year is. Long class workshops are tied with mounds of notes to know for tests, not to mention Seifer will be working on top of that. If we're lucky, he'll live in his room for a year."

"What about the rest of you? I know you and Riku have two years left. Sora will have three. Will Demyx, Zexion, Marluxia and Seifer all graduate this year?"

"I'm afraid so. Demyx and Zexion already have plans to move somewhere. Marluxia will leave school to work on his business full time along with caring for Tifa."

"And what are you going to do when you graduate?" Axel thought about it for a moment.

"Work, I guess. Honestly, I don't give it much thought." Roxas nodded thoughtfully. "What about you?"

"Chemistry major."

"Thinking of grad school?"

"No. I'll go find a job." Axel smirked.

"Gee, that sounds familiar. It's almost as if I had the same plans," the elder male teased. Roxas scowled and Axel ruffled his hair. "Great minds think alike, you know. Now eat your ramen before it gets cold. You have some weight to gain back." Roxas picked up the bowl and started eating, returning to his movie.

Axel left the room and felt his heart sink. 'He's lost so much weight. He looks the same as when he was anorexic last fall. I know it's not the same, but I can't help but get this icky feeling when I see him like that.'

XxXxX

Roxas was back to his classes by the next week. After missing the previous week, he was loaded down with catching up on notes, projects, and papers. He lived at his desk, determined to finish out the summer semester. June arrived with high temperatures and the promise of severe summer storms. The apartment was unusually quiet for a change.

Roxas sat at his desk cramming notes into his brain. He chewed lazily at the end of his eraser, leaning back on his chair. His headphones blasted music into his ears. He was so focused he didn't hear Seifer enter the room.

"Look at you being the good student," Seifer sneered. Roxas looked up from his notes. He flipped his headphones to his neck.

"Sorry, what did you say?" Roxas asked, unsure of what Seifer had said.

"Screw it."

"O-kay then." Roxas replaced his headphones and continued to study. Seifer lazily sat on his desk chair and checked his phone. He sent several texts before opening his laptop. Roxas yawned and set his pencil down on the desk. He brought his feet up onto the chair and rested his folded arms and chin on top of his knees. Seifer picked at his nails until he got another text. He sent a reply and turned back to his computer.

The same routine occurred for the next hour. Roxas would read his notes, occasionally changing his position. Seifer would staring blankly at his computer, occasionally answering a text.

When Roxas finished studying, he pushed his notes aside and removed his headphones. Then he checked his phone to see if anyone had contacted him.

"Expecting someone?" Seifer jibed.

"No. Are you?" Roxas shot back.

"As if! No one ever comes to see me. It's always about THEM," Seifer growled, closing his computer.

"Someone I should know about?"

"No, you chicken wuss. What goes on with my family is concern of yours."

"Is that why you came back early?" Seifer scowled heavily.

"None of your business." Seifer received a call and he ignored it. His phone rang three more times before he picked up. "Get off my back!" he shouted. "No, I'm not coming home. If you're so worried about it then you deal with it. Don't give me that shit ass excuse! Fine then!" Seifer slammed his phone onto his desk. "I hate you people," he seethed.

"Parents?" Roxas asked.

"They're DEAD, fuckhole! I don't have any. Instead I deal with my God damn siblings bitching about how "overburdened" they are. Overburdened my ass."

"Sorry. I didn't know." Roxas shifted his gaze back to his desk. He started to organize his notes and store them neatly away into his desk drawer.

"Why do you care so much about my life anyway?" Roxas paused, unsure how to answer.

"I don't know, really. I guess you just remind me of myself, in way." Seifer scoffed.

"Are you're parents dead?"

"No."

"Are your siblings bitching down your throat?"

"No."

"Then we have nothing in common."

"So it seems. If anything, we're polar opposites. My parents may be alive but they chose to act like I'm dead. My mother disowned me; my dad hardly looks at me. I never hated my siblings but I always seemed to hurt them. Nothing I do is ever right."

"Says the dick with a 4.0."

"I meant for them," Roxas corrected. There was a long silence filled with frustrated tension. "If you don't mind me asking, how'd your parents die?"

"Car accident four years ago. They died on their anniversary." Seifer propped his elbows on his desk and rubbed his face with his hands.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not like you ran them off the road, stupid." Seifer sighed. "They were nice people…" Roxas suddenly felt bad for Seifer. "As if their passing wasn't enough, they had to leave it in their will to have the siblings decide on who got what in the inheritance. My idiot brother and sister just love arguing over who should get what share. I bowed out but I end up acting as the instigator to keep them from killing each other."

"I guess I wouldn't know what it's like being the youngest. My siblings are both younger than me," Roxas commented.

"Rai's married and Fuu already has kids. I honestly wouldn't care about this at all if we were the only siblings involved."

"What do you mean?" Seifer sighed and sat back in his chair. His face looked tired and strained.

"We have a little brother, Sephiroth. Seph's only five so he doesn't understand what's going on." Seifer scoffed at himself. "I was the one who watched over him that night. Rai and Fuu were supposed to come over so I could go hang with my friends. They never showed up. Part of me wanted to leave but Seph was barely old enough to walk. So, I stayed home and did my part as the older brother. That night my parents never came home. When I heard the news, I shut myself off from the world. I didn't even cry at their funeral! I'm just some sick bastard who wanted nothing to do with his family once it started falling apart. But I can't let one stupid thing go."

"You're brother."

"Seph's staying with his godfather. Our uncle Setzer isn't the brightest guy. He's a bachelor. He doesn't know the first thing about raising kids. So now Rai, Fuu and I are in a legal battle over possession of Seph since we're all of age to take care of him. The problem is the court won't let me take care of him."

"Why not?"

"Juvey. They deemed me unworthy of being a legal guardian. It doesn't matter what I say, I'll always be shoved aside."

"And your siblings won't look after him?"

"Rai's an idiot. He forgets to do everything. Whenever I see them together, it's almost as if Seph becomes part of the wall. Fuu's no better. She bitches at her two kids all the time. Seph just likes it quiet and to be by himself. I used to think I could handle that much on my own, but now I'm not even sure if I have what it takes to be his brother. It's so fucking stupid and I can't let it go!" Seifer kicked his desk in frustration.

Roxas remained silent. He wasn't sure what to say. He thought about Ven and Naminé. 'If I had to fight for them between my parents and myself, I don't think I could do it. They're lives are so much happier without me. I know nothing about Seifer's family. Who's to say is his little brother is happier where he is now or with one of his siblings?'

Roxas glanced at Seifer. He still looked troubled but he was slowly recomposing himself. Seifer stood and dug around under his bed. He pulled out a gym bag and a skateboard.

"Hey!" Seifer barked. Roxas jumped. "Let's go."

"Go where?"

"The gym, where else?"

"Now?" Roxas glanced at the clock. It was 9:04pm.

"Yeah. Now get off your ass and move it. It'll build up your immune system." Seifer reached under his bed and tossed Roxas a skateboard of his own. Roxas wondered why Seifer had the sudden urge to go life weights but he didn't want to argue with the violence prone man. He packed some comfy clothes into a drawstring backpack and followed Seifer out of the apartment.

"You know how to ride?" Seifer asked. Roxas tossed the board onto the ground and jumped on, gliding smoothly across the parking lot. Seifer smirked. He tossed his board and leapt on, flying across the pavement. "Let's go!" he called. Roxas followed Seifer to the gym. The night air was cool and refreshing. Even with the sun below the horizon, there was still plenty of light for them to see. Roxas closed his eyes as he let the wind brush across his face.

"Hey Seifer," Roxas called, opening his eyes.

"What?" Seifer snapped, back to his tacky attitude.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Giving a damn." Seifer burst out laughing.

"Sure thing, chicken wuss."


	13. Chapter 13: Summer Sunshine

July hit with a wave of humidity. The air appeared to be drowning in its own moisture. Roxas found it extremely hard to concentrate on his finals when his pores were constantly oozing out sweat. The first summer session ended and Roxas was set free of his classes. He would have the rest of the summer to hang out with his friends and get ready for the fall.

The biggest concern was for Marluxia's wedding. Demyx, Zexion, and Axel were all helping out the stressed male prepare for his big day. Roxas learned their party going to Japan was going to be rather small. Marluxia's parents were going to meet the party in Japan along with Tifa's family. Terra and Lexaeus came back to join the group but Riku declined his invitation.

Roxas sat on Axel's bed and watched the four party planners work away around Marluxia's desk. Marluxia's face was pressed against the wood, his stress levels through the roof.

"But we already got him a plane ticket!" Marluxia whined.

"We'll just have to find someone else to come with," Axel reasoned.

"Stupid Riku…"

"Cheer up, Marly. Two weeks from now this will all be over," Demyx reassured him.

"Ugh..."

"Do you think Vexen would want to come?" Zexion offered.

"He's in Mexico," Axel reminded.

"We could invite Sora," Demyx added.

"That wouldn't be awkward. The only way he'd go is if Riku was going," Zexion corrected.

"What about Xion?"

"She's still out of country," Axel stated. The four party planners groaned.

"I guess we'll just have an extra ticket," Marluxia muttered into his desk. The guys spent over an hour figuring out if there was anyone else they could invite to go along. They went through address books and old yearbooks for phone numbers. Everyone declined.

"We're getting nowhere!" Demyx grumbled, rubbing his hands through his hair. Roxas went down to his room to grab his phone. He doubted there was anyone he wanted to invite along with besides Pence, but he was currently on a three week RV trip with his family. Pence would take pictures and e-mail them to Roxas, sending him greetings from the far reaches of the country side.

Roxas scanned his room and spotted his phone on his desk. As he picked it up, he glanced over at the other side of the room. Seifer was napping on his bed, a dirty magazine flopped over his face. Roxas blinked, an idea coming into his head. He went over to Seifer's phone and flipped through the contacts.

XxXxX

"Are you sure we packed everything?" Demyx asked, looking over his luggage in the living room.

"If you packed anymore, we'd bring the whole apartment with us!" Axel teased from the kitchen. Demyx scowled.

"What time are we leaving again?" Zexion asked, bringing down another set of suitcases from Marluxia's room.

"Four in the morning," Roxas groaned, sipping his soda.

"You can always sleep on the plane," Lexaeus noted. Roxas frowned but continued to drink his sugary treat.

"Where are we staying exactly?" Terra asked.

"Some upscale hotel, but the wedding's at a ryokan," Zexion replied.

"Where's Seifer?" Marluxia called as he came down the stairs.

"Still in his room," Roxas replied. Marluxia rolled his eyes and went to fetch the procrastinator. As the guys were discussing who was going to drive to the airport, there was a knock at the door. Demyx answered to find a man in a purple suit on the other side.

"I'm assuming Seifer lives here?" the man asked.

"Y-e-s…" Demyx replied, unsure of whom the man was. The man flicked his eyes around the room until he caught sight of Roxas.

"You must be Roxas," he commented.

"Oh, you must be Setzer!" Roxas set down his soda and went over to greet him. As he walked over, they could hear Marluxia chewing out Seifer as they made their way down the stairs.

"Quit nagging!" Seifer barked. "It's not like the planes leaving now anyway!" Seifer dragged his bag into the kitchen and froze. "What the Hell are you doing here?" he growled.

"Nice to see you too, nephew. Do tell me you are capable of watching your brother for an entire week," Setzer replied. Seifer's face turned into shock.

"My…brother?" From behind Setzer's legs peeked a tiny face. It was a boy of five with long silver hair and a blank expression. "Wha…I don't…"

"I was told you had an extra ticket for a trip. It seemed like a good time for you to keep an eye on your brother while your siblings did all of their legal business. I'm sure if you don't screw this up, the court may find the opportunity enlightening," Setzer added as incentive. Seifer pushed past the other guys and knelt in the doorway.

"You never said anything about coming with," Seifer muttered.

"It was a surprise," Sephiroth replied quietly. Seifer smiled picked up his brother, setting him on his shoulders.

"I'll just leave his bags with you then." Zexion and Demyx went to get Seph's bags. Seifer remained quiet, pensively thinking. Once his uncle had left, he turned to the rest of the group, his face dark.

"So which one of you dirt bags thought it would be funny to invite my family without permission?" Seifer's glared rested on Roxas. Roxas shrugged.

"I just extended the offer. Your brother was the one who accepted," Roxas replied. Seifer glanced up at his brother.

"You couldn't have missed me that bad." Seph just hugged his brother tighter around the head. For the first time, Roxas saw Seifer smile. It wasn't much more than a smirk, but he could tell the man was truly happy.

When everyone retired early, Seifer stopped Roxas as he was leaving the bathroom.

"Do that again and I'll kill you, understand?" Seifer hissed.

"Sure." Roxas brushed past Seifer to head back to their room.

"Hey chicken wuss!" Roxas turned. "Thanks." Roxas smirked. He gave Seifer a nod and headed off to bed.

The party got up early to get to the airport. They drove in three separate vehicles. Roxas glanced in the rearview mirror of Axel's car. Seph was fast asleep in Seifer's lap. The elder brother gently ran his fingers through his younger brother's hair, his gaze lost outside the car window.

Everyone got through the airport and past security. Then they boarded the plane and left for Japan. The ride over was a mixed bag of emotions. Everyone bounced their moods from excited to anxious to nostalgic to stressed to exhausted and back to excited again. Roxas got to sit with Seph for a couple of hours. They played puzzle games on Roxas's phone. The boy was actually really smart. He would usually figure out the solution before Roxas, but the blonde didn't mind. Even if Seph didn't smile, Roxas could tell he was having fun.

When they landed in Japan, it was late at night. Everyone had jet lag as they took taxis to their hotel. Then they went to sleep. They had a couple of days before Marluxia's wedding so they took in the sights while Marluxia spent his time with his bride-to-be.

The day of the wedding arrived and everyone headed to the ryokan early. Tifa had pulled out all of the stops to make the wedding traditional. She even had the guests put on yukatas and kimonos. As the group of guys changed into their yukatas, they couldn't stop talking. They all had fans to tuck into their sashes. Demyx was particularly pleased.

There were other accessories to choose from as well. Seifer had a katana strapped to his sash while his little brother put a sakura blossom clip in his hair. Axel had found himself a pink bamboo parasol. He smirked whenever Roxas looked his way.

The wedding started and everyone felt a sense of butterflies in their stomachs. Tifa looked gorgeous while Marluxia's countenance was finally one of happiness. As the pair exchanged their vows, Roxas felt Axel slip his hand around Roxas's palm. The blonde gave it a squeeze. Axel leaned gently against his friend, his expression showing a mixture of happiness and bliss.

After the wedding, there was a large banquet set out. The food was delicious. Roxas felt horrible as he ate some traditional ramen. His prepackaged ramen now seemed rather sad. After the food, there were fireworks. While they were watching, Roxas felt Axel tug at his hand. Roxas followed the red head away from the crowd. He was led to the garden of the ryokan. The fireworks continued above their heads.

"What did you think?" Axel asked, turning back to Roxas. The blonde knelt by the pond and peered at the koi fish lazily swimming.

"Marluxia was so happy, and I was really happy for him. I'm glad he finally got away from his stressful life to spend time with the one he loves," Roxas replied. Axel sat on his knees next to Roxas, his parasol sitting on his shoulder.

"Yeah. It kind of makes you think. So little time has passed since I first met Marluxia and so much has happened since then. I have to wonder what's going to happen in the next few years."

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked, turning to Axel.

"With us, I mean."

"I'm not sure I'm following." Axel sighed.

"Would you ever want something like that?"

"Marriage?"

"Er…yeah…" Roxas averted his gaze to the ground.

"I guess I don't know. I'm really happy with how things are." Roxas turned back to Axel. "I really love you, you know. I just don't want to jinx things." Axel pulled Roxas close to the blonde was leaning against him.

"When you put it that way, it makes it sound like you're cursed," Axel teased. Roxas shoved him playfully.

"You're the one who's cursed."

"Me?!"

"Yeah, cursed with your damn good looks." Axel smirked. He lifted Roxas's chin so they stared each other in the eye.

"Calling me sexy now?"

"Yes." Axel pulled Roxas into a kiss.

"You'll regret that when we get back to the hotel," Axel whispered in his ear.

"I look forward to it," Roxas whispered back.

XxXxX

With August, the humidity backed off into a flat summer heat. School was starting in less than a week. Marluxia returned from his honeymoon only to find stacks of e-mails waiting for him. Riku and Sora moved in early to avoid the moving day rush. It was suddenly decided everyone was going to the beach. Roxas perked up at the idea.

Two days before move in day, everyone packed into two cars and drove three hours to the shore. The ocean was beautiful. The water reflected the sky perfectly, making the water appear aquamarine.

They played Frisbee until lunch, their skin covered with sweat and sand. After they ate, they let the sun soak into their skin for a bit. Then they hit the water. They played several rounds of chicken and went body surfing when the waves were high enough.

By midafternoon, Roxas was beat. He went back to his towel and lay down in the sun. His mind drifted away as he unconsciously fell asleep. He woke an hour later to find Zexion reading next to him.

"Sleep well?" the dark haired boy asked, never looking up from his page.

"What time is it?" Roxas muttered. He sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Nearly five. I think we're all getting a bit hungry. We'll go eat soon." Roxas stretched and brushed the sand from his skin. He flinched as he brushed his fingers of his shoulders. Roxas peered behind him and groaned. A large sunburn had formed on his back where it had been exposed to the sun. "Forget your sunscreen?"

"Maybe." Roxas picked at his peeling skin.

"You're not supposed to pick at it," Axel called, coming back from the water. Roxas frowned. Zexion tossed the blonde a bottle of lotion.

"You bring this with you?" Roxas asked.

"My hands get dry," Zexion replied, turning his page.

"Here, I'll help," Axel offered. He sat behind Roxas and rubbed the lotion into the burn. Roxas hissed as his skin felt fiery hot. Axel's cool hands feel good as they rubbed deep into the muscles of Roxas's back. Roxas closed his eyes, feeling sleepy again.

"How's it feel now?" Axel asked, murmuring in the blonde's ear.

"Mmm," Roxas replied. Axel chuckled. He pulled Roxas into his lap and wrapped his arms around the younger man's waist.

"You're so cute when you sleep"

"Kawaii," Roxas muttered. Axel chuckled and gently brushed Roxas's hair with his fingers. Roxas was soon asleep again. Axel smiled warmly.

"He's finally warmed up to you," Zexion noticed.

"Took him long enough. Imagine his reaction if it were last year," Axel mused.

"You'd probably be kissing the asphalt."

"Probably."

"How did you two meet?" Zexion closed his book and turned to Axel.

"I suppose we met once or twice in high school. We never officially talked until the day I changed schools. Even then I didn't think much of him. Then he walked up to me in the library one day and I swore I recognized him from somewhere. It bothered me until I remembered but Roxas wasn't the same person. His emo attitude drew me in. I was just curious to why he was so different. Then he would occasionally let down his guard and I'd see a completely new side of Roxas I never knew. It was so innocent and I wanted to keep him that way forever."

"What do you think drew Roxas to you?"

"I don't know really. Maybe because I was there for him or maybe because I looked irresistible. He's a mystery but I love him all the same." Axel kissed the top of Roxas's head. "What drew you to Demyx?"

"His smile. I remember running into him at the library all of the time. Then we were in a group project together for a class. He could never focus and his punkish look turned the others off. There was a day when I was waiting for the rain to stop. There was no one around because they had already left. I forgot my umbrella that day. Out of nowhere, Demyx stuck his face in mine with a grin plastered on his face. He offered me shelter under his tiny umbrella and he walked me to my dorm. I still remember the look on his face when I smiled back at him as I said my farewells. His cheeks blushed so bad it appeared he had a fever. I was genuinely concerned but Demyx stammered out he was fine. One day I struck up the courage to ask him out but he had a girlfriend at the time.

"It wasn't until later in the year when he asked me out. I was so flustered I could hardly stay standing. He kept rambling under his breath about hanging out because he wanted to know me better. I had to put a hand over his mouth to stop him from talking! We went to a movie. Our hands brushed in the theater. He looked so cute when he blushed. That night he brought me back to the dorm. Before he left, he hesitantly kissed me on the back of the jaw with his hands stuffed in his pockets. From there we spent nearly every day together. He even wrote a song for me. I was embarrassed at first but now he sings me to sleep with it."

"He really looks out for you," Axel stated. Zexion nodded and turned his gaze to the water. Demyx was laughing as Seifer threw Riku across the water. When he noticed his lover staring, he gave a wink. Zexion returned it with a small wave.

They went to eat as the sun starting turning the water orange. Everyone ate twice their fill of fresh seafood and barbeque. Then they went back to the beach and had a campfire. Bags of marshmallows were passed around. The guys toasted to a great year before devouring their sugary treats.

Marluxia had rented out some rooms at the beachfront hotel so they wouldn't have to drive back late at night. Axel and Roxas were roomed with Demyx and Zexion. Marluxia got a king bed to himself with Riku, Sora, and Seifer shared a double room. Seifer got his own bed.

As the night grew later, Axel took Roxas on walk along the beach. They remained silent as they let the water gently wash over their toes with each passing wave. Roxas looked up at the moon and let the silvery light splash against his face. He turned when he heard Axel taking off his shirt.

"What are you doing?" Roxas asked.

"Going for a swim," Axel replied with a grin.

"But we're not wearing our suits."

"Who said we needed them?" Roxas felt his face flush.

"Axel, people will see."

"No they won't. We're far enough down the beach no one will notice. Besides…" Axel went over and kissed Roxas hard on the lips. "We might not get another chance for awhile." Roxas chewed on his bottom lip. Axel went back to his shirt and placed his shorts next to them before diving beneath the quiet waves. Roxas took off his shirt and scanned the beach. "Come on, Roxas! The water's getting cold," Axel teased. Roxas took a deep breath. In a rush he pulled off his shorts and leapt into the water.

As he surface, he wiped the water from his eyes. Axel swam in a lazy circle around him. Roxas splashed him.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"Showing off."

"What? You can swim too, you know."

"You look better doing it," Roxas muttered. Axel stopped swimming and sculled over to his friend. A smile pulled at the corners of his lips.

"Oh really?" Axel asked quietly. He pulled Roxas in close, kissing the blondes neck. "If you ask nicely I'll teach you." Roxas murmured something under his breath. "Hmm?"

"Please?" Roxas said a bit louder. Axel smiled. He pulled Roxas into a kiss. The blonde wrapped his legs around Axel's waist, making him taller than the red head for a change.

"Who said you get to be on top?"

"Me." They went into a serious bought of kisses and lickings. Roxas ran his hands through Axel's hair while Axel dragged his fingers over Roxas's back.

"How far do you want to go?" Axel muttered as he was released from Roxas's lips.

"All the way."

"You sure?"

"Always." Axel smirked.

"You're choice." Axel adjusted Roxas's position so he was sitting lower on the man's hips. They were brought face to face. "Hang on." Axel leaned back and they went under the water. They ran their tongues over each other as the salty taste of the ocean leaked into their mouths. As they broke the surface, they gasped for air.

Then they returned to passionately making out. Roxas's breath was hot and heavy against Axel's neck. His eyes were pleading each time their gazes met. Axel ran his fingers over the heated area pressed again his groin. Roxas moaned and continued to devour Axel's neck. Axel shuddered as Roxas ran his teeth down his nerves.

"Axel…" Roxas breathed in his ear. "You're teasing me."

"Because it's fun." Roxas moaned again.

"Just fuck me already." Axel giggled.

"Patience."

"No," Roxas protested.

"Someone's cranky." Roxas gasped in Axel's ear, his breathing getting faster.

"No, I…uhn! You…God yes!" Roxas felt his body scream with pleasure.

"Who knew you were such a sadist," Axel teased. Roxas dug his nails into Axel's back. He threw his head back, his cheeks covered in blush. His legs tightened around Axel as he hit his climax. Roxas ground his teeth together. Then he gasped as his muscles instantly relaxed. He slumped against Axel, his breathing heavy.

"Feeling better?" Axel asked. Roxas nodded, gently kissing Axel's neck. "Good. I think it's time we get you to bed."

"No…" Roxas groaned.

"What else were you planning on doing today?"

"Staying up all night."

"Is that all you thought about today? Getting into my pants?"

"Maybe." Axel rolled his eyes.

"I guess I can't lie. It was extremely tempting not to molest you while you slept earlier. I had to have Zexion chain me down."

"Liar." Axel chuckled.

"Not by much." Axel kissed Roxas on the lips. "Come on. You can walk back to the hotel." Roxas slid off of Axel's hips. Then he frowned.

"Shit, we forgot towels."

"I've yet to see a pair of wet shorts kill someone."

"They chafe!" Roxas protested.

"Then I'll just have to find Zexion's lotion bottle."

"Hey!" The pair turned to the beach. They found a man with short blonde hair and a trim beard glaring at them. "The beach is closed. You need to get back to your hotel."

"Sorry. We had the sudden urge to go swimming again," Axel joked. The man's frown deepened.

"I honestly don't care what you felt like."

"You wouldn't by chance have a towel?" Roxas asked. "Our friends stole ours."

"Steal your suits too?" Roxas's face paled. The man went to his dune buggy and fished out a pair of towels. He tossed them out in the water to the pair. Axel and Roxas wrapped the wet towels around their waist and were herded back to the hotel, clothes in hand.

When they got back to their room, Demyx gave them a strange look.

"What were you two up to, pray tell?" he asked.

"Swimming," Axel replied casually.

"I see. Didn't your fill during the afternoon?"

"Nothing I could get away with in public." Demyx flicked his gaze back and forth between Axel and Roxas. Then he stood and went towards the bathroom.

"Zexion's in the shower. I think I'll go join him for a bit. Make yourselves at home. Oh and Axel? Don't break Roxas before school starts." Axel grinned wickedly.

"Huh?" Roxas asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"You're in our territory now, Roxas. Public rules don't apply here," Demyx replied with a dark grin. Then he slipped into the bathroom.

"What?" Roxas turned to Axel. Axel pressed Roxas against the bed.

"It means we can do whatever we want tonight, them included. Maybe we will stay up all night." Axel gave a low chuckle. Roxas smirked.

"Bring it on."

XxXxX

Zexion opened the bathroom door to let the steam out. Demyx had his arms wrapped tightly around his waist. "So much for a quick shower," Zexion stated.

"They needed their privacy," Demyx replied. "Besides, once we get going, we won't even notice each other." Zexion smirked, brushing out his hair with his fingers.

"Ready?"

"You don't even have to ask." Zexion led Demyx out of the bathroom towards their bed. They paused to watch Axel and Roxas for a moment. The pair was devouring each other's mouths. Their hair was damp with sweat.

"Aw, they're all grown up," Demyx cooed. Zexion elbowed him gently.

"My turn, tonight."

"Oh, you're no fun." Demyx pulled Zexion onto the bed, tickling his sides. Zexion giggled and shoved Demyx playfully.

"Don't distract them." Demyx glanced at Axel and Roxas. They carried on as if nothing else was going on in the world. He looked up at Zexion on his lap.

"What do you want to do tonight?"

"I'm thinking of a little Simon Says." Zexion leaned down and kissed Demyx longingly on the lips.

"You know I'm no good at that game."

"All the more reason to play." Zexion kissed Demyx's neck. "Why don't you start off by taking my breath away?" Zexion whispered into his lover's ear. Demyx kissed the dark haired man until his breath was ragged. "I never said Simon Says."

"Told you I was bad at this." Zexion smirked and their lips met again.

XxXxX

Morning came and everyone slept in late. Roxas woke up tangled up in Axel. His chest hurt from being weighted down the entire night. Roxas kissed Axel's forehead.

"Morning," he whispered. Axel slept on. Roxas rolled them over and straddled the red head. He suddenly realized why Axel said it was so hard no to molest him. Roxas just wanted to run his hands all over his lover. He leaned down and kissed Axel below his navel. Axel moaned and shifted. Then he opened his eyes.

"Pervert," Axel murmured. Roxas smiled and continued to work his way up Axel's chest, planting kisses along the way. Soon their lips met and they kissed softly.

"Did I wake you?" Roxas asked.

"You didn't let me sleep!" Axel chuckled and wrapped his arms around Roxas. Then he motioned for Roxas to look to the other pair. Zexion was curled up next to Demyx, their hands intertwined as they slept.

"They look cute together."

"What was that term you used yesterday?"

"Kawaii?"

"Yeah. They're real kawaii…just like you are." Axel kissed the top of Roxas's head. They fell back asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

Summer vacation was finally over.

A new year was about to begin.


	14. Chapter 14: EverywhereYouGoLetMeGoToo

The semester started and the toll of upper level classes started weighing down on the apartment. Everyone had less and less time to do what they wanted during what few evening hours they had. Roxas found himself chained to his desk by himself most of the nights. Seifer hardly ever came in the room unless it was to sleep or change his clothes. Axel was gone most of the day to shadow a pharmacist whenever he wasn't in class. Marluxia strained to balance his work and his classes. Even Demyx's and Zexion's room turned abnormally quiet. The only ones who weren't affected as much were Riku and Sora. They spent all of their free time in their room or in the basement so they wouldn't disturb the others. Roxas felt the pressure of taking extra credits for the fall. He normally had sixteen or eighteen credits, but since he was pushing to get done early, Roxas had twenty.

With all of the work, the weeks blurred together. Soon fall was upon them. September breezed past and the first round of exams hit everyone hard. By mid-October, they were burnt out.

Roxas tossed his backpack on the floor and flopped onto his bed. He had spent the afternoon taking three exams and he still had a paper to finish before it was due the next day. Roxas pulled his laptop onto his lap and began typing away. He skipped supper to finish his paper. When he closed the lid of his computer, he checked the time on his phone.

"8:32," Roxas muttered. He set his laptop on the desk and rolled onto his stomach. "I still have a shitload to do. I suppose a five minute break won't hurt." Roxas folded his arms under his pillow and closed his eyes. He was asleep in seconds.

Roxas woke to the sound of a drawer closing. He cracked open his eyes to find the room was dark. He felt around for his phone. 10:42. 'Shit.' Roxas rolled onto his side and sat up. Seifer's desk lap was the only light in the room. The older male was at his desk making blueprint sketches. Roxas went to the kitchen and grabbed two sodas. Then he went back to his room and set one of the cans on Seifer's desk. Roxas cracked open his can and sipped the sugary drink. He ran a hand through his hair and looked at his list of things he needed to get done. Roxas groaned in his head.

He sat at his desk and started working on his next project. The pair worked in silence. Seifer only paused once to open his soda and take a couple of sips. Roxas closed his book and sighed. He checked the clock. 1:55. 'I can't get anything more done tonight. My brain's barely functioning as it is.' Roxas went to his wardrobe, grabbed a pair of his sleeping, clothes, and went to the bathroom. When he returned, Seifer was still drawing. Roxas tossed his dirty clothes on top of his laundry hamper and crawled under the sheets.

When his alarm woke him at six thirty, Roxas growled at his phone. He crawled out of bed and went back to the bathroom to get ready for the days classes. When he returned, he noticed Seifer was still at his desk. Besides an empty soda can, six coffee cups were scattered on his desk. Seifer sat sipping his seventh on as he looked over his work.

"Don't you ever sleep?" Roxas asked, changing out the books in his backpack.

"The undead don't sleep," Seifer muttered. He changed his clothes and went downstairs for breakfast with Roxas. Then they headed off to their classes.

The weekend came and the apartment remained silent past noon. Everyone was catching up on their sleep. When Roxas woke, it was two in the afternoon. Seifer was still sleeping tangled in his sheets. Roxas stretched and headed downstairs. He found Zexion reading the paper at the counter in his bathrobe.

"Morning," Roxas muttered. Zexion looked up from his paper.

"Afternoon, more like it," Zexion corrected. Roxas dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand. He put a bagel in the toaster and waited for his breakfast. "Are you ready for Halloween this year?"

"Already?"

"It's two weeks from Thursday."

"Oh."

"We were planning on going to the dance again. I'm sure Marluxia will find a way to drag you along so I suggest giving a costume some thought, unless you want to go as a cat again." Roxas frowned. His bagel popped in the toaster. He smeared some jam on the halves and ate them quickly.

"Do you have any plans?" Roxas asked.

"I lack the creativity for that. I usually have Demyx help me pick something out."

"What if we did a group theme?" Zexion brightened at the idea.

"That might actually be fun. I don't know how many people would be interested but we can give it a try."

XxXxX

The night of the dance arrived. The party lacked luster compared to the previous year. They came up with a theme: animal head bands with a twist. Demyx was going as a vampire bear. Zexion was going as a swordsman with mouse ears. Marluxia wore a tuxedo with a large pair of rabbit ears. Sora had a pair of lion ears to go with his lifeguard outfit. Riku wore dog ears with his Martrix cosplay. Seifer stayed out of the group since he had other friends he was meeting up with. He wore an army outfit complete with tank top, cargo pants, and heavy boots, not to mention his hat. Axel had a pair of tiger ears to go with his Fire Nation robes.

"Hurry up Roxas!" Demyx called up the stairs. They heard footsteps as Roxas made his way to the kitchen.

"What was he going as again?" Marluxia asked.

"He never said," Zexion replied. They turned as Roxas stepped into the kitchen. He looked like a knight out of a video game. Over his old looking clothes he wore various pieces of hand crafted armor over his arms, legs, shoulders, belt, and neck. The neck piece went up and covered the lower half of Roxas's face. He wore a long sword, locked in its sheath, on his back. A pair of black cat ears sat on his head along with a small gold crown. A small red cape hung behind his shoulders.

"Damn! Where'd you get that from?" Demyx pressed.

"That's my secret," Roxas replied, pressing a gloved finger to where his lips would have been on the other side of his armor.

They spent some time taking photos before headed off to the dance. When they got there, they all split up. Axel leaned over and whispered in Roxas's ear.

"You can't hide your secrets from me." Roxas chuckled.

"Olette's brother is a hard core Con junky. She helped me piece it together."

"Going with the Thundercat look, huh?"

"I was going with more of a guardian Cait Sith."

"And what, pray tell, are you protecting?"

"The Fire Nation Lord." Axel smirked.

"My own personal guard. I like the sound of that."

The night flew by, filled with plates of food and wandering around the hall talking to various people. There came a point when Roxas felt like he was being followed. Axel noticed as well and elbowed Roxas.

"Go talk to her," Axel prodded.

"Who?"

"The girl who's been following you half the night. Don't worry, I won't get jealous…much," Axel murmured in the blonde's ear. Roxas turned and spotted the girl. She blushed and her group of friends urged her on. The girl stepped forward. Her face was red from embarrassment.

"Um, can…would you want to dance with me?" the girl stammered. Roxas's eyebrows shot up.

"Oh, um, do I know you?" Roxas asked. The girl shook her head.

"You have class in the same room before me. I always see you through the window on the door, sitting in the back of the class." Roxas felt a light blush brush his cheeks. He glanced at Axel. The red head jerked his head towards the girl, giving his approval. Roxas unhooked his long sword and neck armor. Axel held onto them as Roxas walked with the girl to the dance floor.

'Go have fun.' Axel thought. He watched Roxas dance with the girl for several songs. While he was waiting, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He found a girl looking up at him.

"Want to dance?" she asked cheerfully. Axel shrugged.

"Why not." He found a space along the wall for him to put down Roxas's sword and armor. He also took off the outer layer of his robes so his shirt was sleeveless. Axel wasn't worried about people taking their stuff since the wall was pack with other various props people set aside in order to dance unhindered.

Roxas had to admit he had fun dancing with the girl. Her face had a constant blush on it. He eventually turned to grinding with her. Roxas felt a bit odd with her pressed against him. He didn't feel the same rush as when Axel was behind him.

"What's your name?" Roxas asked. The girl jumped a bit, spooked by Roxas's voice.

"Um…uh…Tara. You're Roxas, right?"

"I don't know who else I would be." The girl gave a nervous laugh.

When they finished the set of songs playing, Roxas gave Tara a small bow.

"Thanks. You were great," Roxas complimented. The girl's blush deepened.

"Um, do you…would you ever want to…um…" Tara stammered. Roxas stepped forward so he was close to her. His breath was hot against her neck.

"Go on a date?" Roxas said in a cool and menacing voice. The girl shivered. "Sorry, but my heart already belongs to someone." Roxas took a step back. Tara's face fell.

"Oh. Sorry, I didn't know." Roxas smiled warmly.

"Don't worry. You'll find someone special."

"You think?" Roxas nodded.

"There you are!" Axel strode over and bowed to Tara. "I hope he didn't do anything mean to you."

"Oh! No, he was very nice!" Tara protested.

"Well, I have to thank you then for keeping him safe." Axel took her hand and kissed the back of it. "Now if you excuse me, I require the services of my personal guard." Axel put his arm around Roxas's waist and led him off. Tara blinked in a stunned silence. Then she giggled.

"I guess the best ones are always taken," she muttered under her breath.

After the party, the group from the apartment went out for drinks. They stayed until the bar closed and headed back to the comfort of their beds.

Roxas grabbed his phone and slipped out of his room. He snuck upstairs and stepped into Axel's. Then he crawled over Axel to lie against the wall. He felt Axel's arms wrap around him.

"I was wondering when you'd come find me," Axel whispered in his ear. Roxas fell asleep next to Axel and spent the night dreaming of a fantasy world where he would protect Axel from the evil candy dragon.

XxXxX

Axel frowned at his computer. His inbox was full of e-mails and half of them were from the same person. He had no idea who it was but all of the letters sounded the same.

*Axel, I want to see you.*

*Axel, we should do something together.*

*I really want to be with you!*

*I thought we understood each other. Why won't you talk to me?*

Axel clicked the boxes on the sides of the e-mail and clicked delete. He wanted to assume someone else had gotten his e-mail mixed up with someone else but by the sound of it the person was practically stalking him. 'If I ignore him enough, maybe he'll just leave me alone. Who is this guy anyway? Xemnas…I've never heard of him before. I suppose I could look him up on the online data base. His e-mail is from this school.' Axel opened the school data base and typed in Xemnas's name. All that came up was he was a senior in political science. 'He's not living on campus then. Just who is this guy?'

Axel quickly closed out of the data base as he heard the door to his room open. Roxas poked his head inside.

"Hiding?" the blonde asked.

"More like hibernating," Axel joked. Roxas went over and sat on Axel's lap. He clicked on random things on Axel's computer, looking at various sites. Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas's waist and rested his chin on the blonde's shoulder. He wasn't sure why he was content with letting Roxas do whatever he wanted with his things. He remembered when he caught Demyx on his computer. Axel banished him from the room for a month.

'Maybe it's because I love him. Whatever I have I want to share with him.' Axel closed his eyes and simply listened to Roxas's breathing. It was soothing. The anxiety of the mysterious e-mails soon melted away. 'This is what's important." Roxas rested his head against Axel's. 'Does he even realize he's doing it? Even if I wanted to go back to what society wants from me, I just feel so incomplete. Dancing with the girls at Halloween barely fazed me. They didn't feel right. So then why can I hold onto Roxas for hours without ever thinking once of letting go?'

Axel gave Roxas's waist a squeeze.

"Something wrong?" Roxas asked, turning to look at Axel. Axel shook his head, nuzzling the blonde's shoulder.

"You're perfect."

"I'm bipolar."

"All the more reason I love you." Roxas smiled. He wiggled out of Axel's arms and strode across the room. He shut and locked the door. Then he went back and pulled Axel with him towards the bed. The blonde sat on top of the older male. He was gentle with his kisses, showing he wanted to go slow for once. Axel let him do as he pleased.

Roxas slowly undressed Axel and himself. They slipped under the sheets and Roxas found his way into Axel. Roxas continued to make love to his friend slowly. Unlike the other times they slept together, it was soft and warm. Axel felt like they were swimming in a bath of warm milk. Roxas's skin felt smooth against his own.

They spent the hour making love together. When they came, they felt different. Usually they were in ecstasy, but instead they were feeling the bonds of their love grow stronger.

Roxas stared down at Axel. The red head's countenance was that of a blissful content. Axel smiled up at Roxas. Then he reached up and traced the scar on Roxas's chest. Roxas lay down on top of Axel, resting his head on his sternum. Axel gently stroked the blonde's hair. He hummed their song quietly. Roxas closed his eyes and listened to the combination of Axel breathing, voice, and heartbeat. He found himself dozing.

Axel turned his head as the sound of keys opening the door alerted him of Marluxia's return. The door opened and Marluxia strode inside, bags of papers weighing down his shoulders. After he set them on the floor, he noticed Axel staring at him. He couldn't help but smile a bit at the sight of the two lying together. Marluxia went and shut the door, locking it as well. Then he went to his computer and plugged in his headphones. Marluxia gave Axel a thumbs up over his shoulder. Axel smiled and turned his gaze to the ceiling.

Three hours later the door rattled and there was a knock. Marluxia popped off his headphones. "What is it?" he called.

"Are you guys eating?" Zexion asked on the other side of the door. Marluxia noticed it was after six.

"No. We're trying to get some work done. We'll come eat when we're ready," Marluxia lied.

"Oh, okay." Zexion left the room be. Marluxia glanced back at the pair on the bed.

"Thank you," Axel mouthed.

"You're welcome," Marluxia mouthed back. He returned to his work, shoving his headphones back against his ears.

Axel turned back to Roxas. The blonde was sleeping peacefully on his chest. Axel didn't have the heart to wake him. He rubbed Roxas's back with his knuckles. He loved the feeling of Roxas's muscles moving at his will. As he rubbed the knots out of Roxas's shoulder, Axel could feel the muscles relax under his touch.

Roxas twitched as he dreamed. Then he woke from his slumber, burying his face deeper into Axel's chest.

"Hey beautiful," Axel greeted.

"Hey," Roxas replied sleepily.

"Did you have a good dream?" Roxas's face fell.

"No."

"No?" Roxas's arms wrapped tightly around Axel's neck. "Why don't you tell me about it? You'll feel better." Roxas took a deep breath.

"I went hang gliding with Pence. I saw you on one of the cliffs. As I went up to you, you fell backwards. I leapt after you. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get close to you. You kept drifting farther and farther away." Axel gave Roxas a tight hug.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here for you for as long as you need me." Roxas hoped he was right. Axel shifted slightly. "Sorry, my back's sore." Roxas sat up and let Axel roll over onto his stomach. Then he sat on his thighs and rubbed the tense muscles with his fingers. Axel slowly relaxed under his touch. Roxas leaned over and kissed Axel on the back.

"We should go find something to eat," Roxas suggested, resuming his massage.

"I really don't feel like cooking right now," Axel admitted.

"I can cook." Axel scoffed.

"You making me ramen?"

"Maybe." Axel chuckled.

"That actually doesn't sound too bad." Roxas smiled. He slid out of bed and slipped on his clothes. Axel remained where he was. Roxas went downstairs and made a double batch of ramen on the stove, adding an egg to each bowl. Then he brought the food upstairs.

Axel was sitting up on his bed with his back against the wall. He wore a pair of PJ pants. Roxas handed him a bowl and sat at Axel's desk. They ate in silence. Roxas finished first and set his bowl on the desk. Once Axel sipped the last of his broth, he stacked his bowl on top.

"We should plan something for Christmas," Axel stated suddenly.

"Okay. What did you have in mind?"

"We could go on a trip." Roxas shook his head.

"I'm still paying off my trip to Japan."

"Right. I guess we can always hang with whoever stays behind this year."

"You'll be partying by yourself then," Marluxia shouted over his music.

"You can take those off, Marly." Marluxia gratefully removed his headphones.

"Is everyone leaving?" Roxas asked.

"It sounds that way. Seifer, Riku and Sora are headed home. I'll be off to see Tifa in Scotland. Demyx and Zexion might be around for awhile but they were going house hunting over the break."

"That leaves you and me then," Axel commented. "We could invite your siblings for a few days."

"No. We always travel over Christmas."

"That's probably the worst time to travel." Roxas shrugged.

"I kind of got used to it."

"Did you travel after…you know…"

"Yeah, but I don't remember much. I mostly stared at my phone or off into space. I honestly don't even remember where we went those two years."

"So then we're back to what we want to do over break."

"We don't have to decide today. Besides, we can always improvise." Roxas gave Axel a sly grin. Axel rolled his eyes.

"If that's what you want to do, then I guess I'm okay with it."

Marluxia shook his head with a smile. He clicked send on his e-mail. He got a reply back right away.

*Looks great! I'll get started.*

Marluxia leaned back in his chair and opened a new box of strawberry Pocky. He stuffed a piece into his mouth and chewed happily. Things were starting to look bright.


	15. Chapter 15: The Age of Understanding

The semester ended and the guys went out to celebrate. They went bowling and had a few drinks together before calling it a night. By the next morning, the apartment was dead silent. Roxas stepped into the kitchen and flicked his gaze around the floor.

"Just me an Axel for eighteen days," Roxas muttered. "Perfect." He snuck upstairs and slipped into Axel's room. The red head was still dozing. Roxas slipped on top of him and straddled his hips. "Good morning," Roxas greeted, snuggling up to his favorite person. Axel moaned with a smile.

"Already?" Axel asked.

"Of course."

"Don't I get a break?"

"You had your break."

"Pervert." Roxas chuckled.

"Admit you like it." Axel chuckled.

"Perhaps. Would you care to make a wager?"

"A wager?" Roxas lifted his head. "What kind of wager?"

"If you can keep your hands off of me for one week, I'll buy you as much sea salt ice cream as you want and you can use the rest of the winter break to use me as you please." Roxas frowned.

"I can do that."

"Oh really?"

"Sure. We've done it before."

"When school's going on, maybe. Now we have nothing to do and you're alone in the apartment with me."

"Are you saying I can't do it?"

"Maybe." Axel grinned.

"You're on! When are we starting?" Axel looked at the clock.

"Nine-o-clock." Roxas checked the time. It was 8:58. He slid off of Axel and stood up. When the clocked flicked to 9, Roxas grinned darkly.

"Alright. One week exactly."

"That's right. No hand holding, no kissing, no cuddling, no sleeping together and definitely no sex. Are we clear?"

"You're going to owe me a lot of ice cream," Roxas warned. Axel chuckled.

"I look forward to it."

The week started off well. After two days, Roxas was still feeling good. He tried not to look at Axel as much as possible as they went on with their daily lives. By the third day, Roxas was starting to feel lonely. By day four, he was desperate. He needed to make contact with Axel; his body yearned for it. Roxas found himself sitting on his hands to keep himself from losing the bet. Day five came and Axel walked around the entire day without a shirt. Day six, Roxas locked himself in his room. He didn't sleep the entire night. Roxas passed out from the stress late in the early morning.

When he opened his eyes, he found Axel staring down at him. Roxas blinked. Axel flipped open his phone and showed Roxas the time. 8:58.

"Looks like you're about to win. I'm impressed," Axel complimented. Roxas watched as the phone changed to 8:59.

"What are we doing for Christmas tomorrow?" Roxas asked. Axel grinned.

"I planned out something while you were being a good little boy. It'll be a surprise." Roxas scoffed.

"You and your secrets." He watched the phone's clock hold steady on 8:59. The second it turned 9, Axel was on top of him. They clawed at each other's hair as their lips and tongues tangled together.

"World's longest minute," Axel breathed.

"Shut up and fuck me!" Roxas growled. They tore their clothes off and clawed at each other as they had sex. They both felt desperate as they clung to one another, praying they would never have to go through such torture again.

It was an hour later before Axel hovered above Roxas, panting. The blonde was breathing equally as heavy.

"First time in your bed," Axel commented.

"I prefer yours," Roxas replied.

"See, and I was about to say the same thing. I wonder why that is?"

"Because your bed smells like you."

"You smell me in my sleep? That's kinky."

"What reason would you like my bed better?"

"Because you're in it." Roxas shoved Axel playfully. Axel sat back on his legs, sitting on Roxas's hips. "Alright. Calm down. I like it here because it's so…you. I love everything about you it drives me nuts!" Axel ran his fingers on the edges of Roxas's Slipknot poster. "Being here in your world makes mine seem all the more real." Roxas sat up on his elbows.

"Next year," Roxas stated. "Next year we'll room together. Then nothing will keep us apart."

"Aside from the mountains of homework and notes?" Roxas laughed.

"I guess that might." Axel ruffled Roxas's hair.

"We'll have to get some new people to live with."

"We could always have Sora and Riku move upstairs. Then we can just ignore the lower floor if we need to."

"Aren't you the cold hearted one. Why have them move anyway?" Roxas grinned.

"I caught them at a bad time."

"Ooh, what happened?" Axel leaned closer to hear all the details.

"I went to give Sora my notes for O-chem for next semester. Man was I surprised when I found them both shirtless on Riku's bed. Riku had Sora wrapped up in his arms with his hands down his pants."

"Get out! We're they going to do it?"

"Not after I found them."

"Now that's just weird. I would think RIku would be the last person who would go gay. Makes you wonder." Axel rolled off of Roxas and lay on the bed next to him. "What do you say we go get some ice cream before it closes for the next few days?" Roxas's face instantly brightened.

"Definitely!" Axel chuckled.

"I think the only thing you like more than me is that ice cream."

"That's not true! I'd pick you over a whole swimming pool of ice cream."

"Just a swimming pool?"

"An ocean," Roxas clarified.

"Which one?" Roxas shoved Axel, making the red head laugh. "I give, I give."

"Maybe I'll just have to eat them together." Roxas traced a line up Axel's sternum. His face was mischievous. "Sea salt ice cream served on a hot guy's chest." Roxas leaned down and licked Axel between the ribs. "My mouth it watering just thinking about it."

"Then we'll have to pacify it." Axel pulled Roxas into a deep kiss. The blonde straddled his lover's abdomen.

"Mm, Axel, you're making me hard," Roxas purred. Axel ran his hands behind Roxas and slipped his fingers under the blonde's ass. He pulled Roxas downward towards his groin. Roxas gyrated his hips against Axel's. The red head moaned, his throat full of pleasure. Axel ran his toes over Roxas's calves. He attempted to roll over on top of Roxas, but the blonde slipped out from beneath him. Axel grunted as Roxas pressed inside his ass.

"Go easy on me," Axel warned. Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel's waist.

"And why should I?"

"Because you're typically on the bottom."

"Then you'll just have to enjoy yourself." Roxas pressed his hips against Axel's rear, their legs pressing against each other. He bucked his hips and felt the waves of pleasure wash over him. When he came, he pressed himself as close to Axel as he could. Roxas sat back and wiped his sweaty face. Axel crawled behind him and forced Roxas into the same position he had been in moments before.

"You forget that I have an advantage over you," Axel reminded. As Axel slipped his cock into Roxas's ass, he lowered one of his hands away from Roxas's chest. His hand wrapped around the blonde's throbbing member. "And it's more fun when you both cum." Axel slowly pulsed his hips and ran his hand along Roxas's dick. Roxas gasped, his face flushed.

"Uhn!" Roxas muttered, his breathing escalating. "Oh, God yes!" Roxas's back arched as Axel picked up the pace of his thrusts. He let out a strangled cry as the pain overwhelmed him, sending mixed messages to his brain. Roxas's hands curled deeply around his sheets. He forced his weight onto one arm and grabbed ahold of Axel's hand. Their fingers intertwined as Axel's slid his hand up and down Roxas's shaft.

Roxas came first, letting out a cry as he crushed Axel's hand in his own and in turn squeezing his own orgasm. Axel thrust deeply into Roxas's ass. Roxas felt lightheaded. 'Am I cumming again?' he gasped in his head. His testicles screamed as he rode through as second orgasm. Roxas cried out with tears in his eyes at the unnatural occurrence. He felt Axel cum into his ass and Roxas collapsed, his arm giving out.

"Oh my God, I'm sorry!" Axel could see the pain on Roxas's face. He picked up the blonde and held in in his arms. "I'm so sorry," Axel whispered in his ear over and over. Roxas was in so much pain he couldn't talk. Tears slipped from his eyes unconsciously.

"Axel," Roxas managed to murmur after several long minutes.

"Roxas, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone that far! I hurt you…" Roxas shook his head. Axel stared down at Roxas in shock.

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course it does!"

"You did it out of love for me. If anyone's to blame it's myself."

"Nonsense! I was the one holding you down."

"And I was the one who didn't say stop." Roxas kissed Axel gently on the cheek. Then he laid his head on the red head's shoulder and waited for the pain to die down. Axel showered Roxas 's head with kisses.

"How can I make this up to you?"

"Never make a wager on our sex life again." Axel managed to force a smile.

"Deal."

XxXxX

Christmas morning dusted the campus in a light snow.

Roxas slept in, breathing in the smell of his sheets. He couldn't exactly make out a distinct smell, like Axel's bed, but it was a calming scent since Roxas knew it was the scent of himself. He brought the sheets closer to his face. They were warm and soft from being washed with far too much fabric softener. Roxas smiled to himself. It was a good morning.

It was quickly interrupted by his door slamming open and a small mass jumping on top of him.

"Ouch! What the Hell, Axel!" Roxas growled, sitting up. He was surprised when he found himself looking at his reflection.

"Morning Roxas!" Ven said cheerfully. Roxas was both stunned and confused.

"What are you doing here?" he finally asked.

"Axel invited us! We're going on a ski trip!"

"Now?"

"Yeah! Hurry up, you lazy bum. Dad's waiting for us in the car."

"Dad's coming with?"

"So it Naminé and her boyfriend, but that doesn't matter. Let's go!" Ven bounced up and down excitedly on the bed. Roxas slipped out of the covers and sighed, straightening his shirt. He went to his wardrobe to pack when he saw a bag sitting on the floor. Roxas opened it and found his belongings already to go.

'Axel…' Roxas thought coolly. He dug around for a pair of warm clothes and headed to the bathroom to get changed. When Roxas was ready to go ten minutes later, he slipped into his dad's suburban. Ven sat up front with his dad. Naminé introduced Roxas to Wakka, a senior from high school, while they sat in the middle seat. Roxas crammed with Axel in the back.

"So where are we headed exactly?" Roxas asked.

"You'll see when you get there," Axel teased. As they pulled out of the campus, Roxas suddenly realized something was strange.

"Hold on! Why aren't you guys on vacation?" Roxas pressed.

"We didn't want to go this year," Ven stated, playing his 3DS.

"And mom was okay with that?"

"No, but when we went without you last year it was a disaster."

"Where did you go?"

"Austria. Mom was practically screaming the entire time."

"That's strange. Usually she's only screaming when I'm around."

"I think since you weren't around, she was frustrated and had to take it out on someone. I mean, you did kind of fall of the face of the earth."

"We only heard from you when the hospital called," Naminé added, looking downcast.

"Sorry. I was just trying to leave my life behind," Roxas admitted.

"It's alright. We didn't blame you."

"Besides, leaving was good for you," Ven stated.

"How so?"

"You changed," Naminé noticed. Roxas felt his face burn a bit.

"I felt pretty normal when I went home last," Roxas commented.

"Only when you were in the house," Ven stated. "When we went out to dinner that one night, you were a completely different person. You smiled, you laughed, you talked…I haven't seen you do that in years."

"Well, I had some help," Roxas muttered.

"You have some good friends," Auron commented, finally speaking up. Roxas smiled lightly.

"Thanks, dad."

"See! He is a changed person!" Ven shouted, turning around in his seat. Roxas stuck out his tongue at his brother. Ven matched it with equal gusto.

"Face the front, Ven," Auron reminded. Ven gave a "hmph" and turned around, returning to his game. Roxas hated to admit it, but he was grateful to see his family. His siblings were his corner stones during the darkest times of his life. He turned to Axel.

"I take it this was your doing?" Roxas asked quietly.

"Guilty," Axel admitted with a grin. "I thought it would be fun to hang out with your family. Besides, this sort of counts as a trip for them."

"You didn't invite my mom, did you?"

"The only person I really invited was Naminé. We were the ones exchanging e-mails. I told her to bring anyone who wanted to come so it was an open invitation."

"Well, thanks." Axel ruffled the blonde's hair.

"Anything for you." Roxas smiled and leaned against his boyfriend. Axel slipped an arm around the younger man's shoulders. Roxas got a text from Pence wishing him a Happy Christmas. He texted back with a smile.

'I really do have some great friends.' Roxas thought.

The drive took several hours. It turned out the resort Roxas stayed at over the summer was also a winter resort. The large rise of a hill behind the hotel was covered in snow for happy skiers and snowboarders. After checking in and dropping off their bags, the group headed outside. Ven was staying with Roxas and Axel while Naminé and Wakka shared a room with Auron. Ven and Wakka got beds to themselves.

Roxas had only been snowboarding a couple times before, but that was back in early high school. Leon had tried to teach him since Roxas was so keen on skateboarding. Roxas wasn't the best but he managed to stay on his feet. He was the only one who was going to be snowboarding. Everyone else had rented skis. They took the lift to the top of the hill and waited for an opening.

Roxas glanced at Axel. The red head had his hair pulled back and a set of goggles on the top of his head. He smiled when he noticed Roxas staring.

"Like what you see?" Axel teased.

"Where did you learn to ski?" Roxas pressed, changing the subject.

"Marluxia. We had season passes here our freshman year. I think he was just trying to get my mind off of high school, which in retrospect worked I guess." Axel chuckled. "Good 'ole Marluxia. He always seems to know how to make things better." Roxas chuckled.

"Agreed."

They spent the afternoon tearing up the hill. By seven, everyone was exhausted and pink in the face from the wind burn. They ate a large dinner at the restaurant inside the hotel, ordering six different appetizers to go with their entrées. When they went back to their rooms for the night, they found the day catch up with them. Everyone fell asleep almost immediately.

The next morning they rose early to get to the hill. They paced themselves a bit more since their legs were sore from the day before. After lunch, Roxas and Axel excused themselves from the group. They went to get hot chocolates and returned to their room to have a break.

Axel curled his arms around Roxas as they sat on the bed, cups of hot deliciousness in their hands. Roxas leaned back against Axel's chest. They sipped their beverages quietly.

"It really doesn't feel like Christmas," Roxas admitted.

"I suppose not. Used to presents?" Roxas shook his head.

"We never exchanged gifts for Christmas. The only gifts we got were on our birthdays."

"No presents for Christmas? I think that's a sin." Roxas chuckled.

"It was supposed to be a family thing. You know, the "greatest gift is our family" sort of bullshit. I never really liked it since everyone bragged what they got for Christmas when we got back to school. I sometimes broke the tradition and bought Ven and Naminé something. They always wanted to get me something too but I told them not to. I wasn't worth it."

"What are you talking about? You're always worth it," Axel interrupted, nuzzling the blonde's head. Roxas smiled lightly.

"Thanks, but you're not family."

"Not yet." Roxas flushed. "Sorry, finish your story."

"Well, they bought me something that first Christmas after…that happened."

"What did they get you?" Roxas pulled back Axel's scarf. Axel was still wearing Roxas's dog collar. The red head touched the collar with his fingertips. "This?" Roxas nodded.

"That's why I cherished it." Axel felt his heart clench and tears in his eyes. He set down his hot chocolate and rubbed his face.

"God, Roxas, you give up too much. You don't have to do so much for me." Roxas turned and set his beverage down next to Axel's. Then he pried Axel's hands from his face.

"You're worth it." Axel felt a tear slip out of his right eye.

"I must look like a ten year old girl," Axel muttered.

"Not at all." Roxas leaned in and kissed Axel gently. Axel pulled Roxas closer, running his hands through the blonde's hair.

"Whoa!" Roxas leapt back, shocked to hear his brother in the room. Ven was staring at the pair with an awkward expression. "Roxas, why are you kissing a guy?" Ven asked. Strangely, Roxas laughed. He rolled on the bed, lost in a fit of giggles. Axel and Ven watched him with some concern. Roxas finally got up and went over to his brother. He scooped up Ven and spun him around, planting a kiss on his brother's cheek.

"Something wrong with that?" Roxas asked.

"Ew! Roxas! That's gross!" Ven struggled against his brother's grip. It only made Roxas laugh harder. He tickled Ven, sending the kid into a fit of bubbly laughter. Axel slipped off of the bed and strode over to the pair. He pried Ven out of Roxas's grasp.

"Back you fiend! No one touches the princess!" Axel shouted.

"Princess?! I'm not a girl!" Ven protested. Roxas hissed.

"She's mine to eat!" Roxas growled. Axel grabbed the TV remote and held it in front of him like a sword.

"Back!" Roxas tackled the pair and they fell to the floor, laughing hysterically. When their giggles died down, Ven turned to his brother.

"So why were you kissing Axel?" Ven asked. Roxas sat up on his elbows.

"Well, we're sort of dating," Roxas replied.

"Sort of?!" Axel protested, sitting up.

"Okay, we've been dating for awhile."

"Aren't guys supposed to date girls?" Ven asked.

"Typically," Roxas replied. "But if two guys love each other just as much, it really shouldn't matter."

"Wait, you guys love each other?! Don't people find that creepy?"

"Only if they care," Axel stated, kissing Roxas on the cheek. Roxas could tell his brother's nine year old mind was thinking deeply.

"So, my brother's gay," Ven finally stated.

"Sure," Roxas replied flatly.

"What about the girls you liked in the past?"

"My heart moved on."

"Seriously?" Roxas nodded. He lay down so his head was on Axel's thighs, his gaze up at Axel's face. Ven stared at the pair. 'I know kids get teased about that at school, but they're so open with liking each other. Honestly, Roxas looks the happiest he's ever been. Even when we were skiing he was always stealing glances at Axel.' Ven crossed his legs. "So how serious are you guys?"

Roxas glanced at his brother. Then he pulled back Axel's scarf. Ven's eyes went wide.

"No way! You loved that collar!" Ven protested. "You even got it customized."

"It's my promise to Axel that we'll meet again after we die."

"Wait, you guys are planning a double suicide?!" Ven exclaimed.

"NO!" Roxas barked, sitting up. "We are not committing suicide." Ven let out a sigh of relief.

"You scared me there, for a moment." Roxas's face softened and he pulled his brother into a hug.

"Sorry. It's a long story," Roxas muttered.

"It's okay. You didn't hurt me this time." Roxas couldn't help but smirk.

"You had to bring that up again." Ven chuckled.

"Sorry. So are you and Axel going to, you know, get married and junk?"

"We might," Roxas said, this voice thick and saucy.

"Awkward, Roxas. That was really awkward." Roxas chuckled darkly. "Don't be a pedo." Axel fell over laughing. Roxas pouted at his brother.

"I'm not a pedo!" Ven slipped out of Roxas's arms. Roxas frowned at Axel. "Why are you laughing?"

"You two are priceless!" Axel cried, holding back tears as he rolled around on the floor. The brothers exchanged looks. Then they pounced on Axel. They laughed as they tickled each other senseless.

XxXxX

It was late in the day when everyone retired. They would be leaving in the morning. While Ven was in the shower, Roxas found himself drawn to Axel. They started to make out and it turned into a series of tongue wars. Roxas's fingers clawed at Axel's shirt. Axel kissed Roxas's neck, licking the nerve he was so famous for. Roxas moaned.

"God, I just want to fuck you," Roxas growled, his groin growing hotter.

"You keep saying that but you seem to be the one who always get fucked," Axel replied, talking into Roxas's neck.

"Because you're selfish," Roxas gasped, letting out a loud moan as Axel gave his crotch as squeeze. The blonde was already hard.

The bathroom door opened and Ven stepped out. He found his brother being smothered by Axel. Ven felt extremely awkward watching.

"Um, the bathroom's open," he stated. Roxas turned his head to his brother, a heavy blush on his face.

"Okay," Roxas replied shakily. "Tha..." Roxas hissed as he held back a loud moan. Axel was still devouring his neck. "Axel," Roxas warned. The red head climbed off of Roxas. As he stood, he picked up the blonde and threw him over his shoulder. Then he headed to the bathroom.

"Thanks Ven. We'll be out later," Axel stated.

"Wait, you're showering together?" Ven asked, strangely shocked.

"Of course. Who else would wash Roxas's back for him?" Axel slipped inside the bathroom and locked the door. Ven was left standing in the middle of the room, lost and confused. He grabbed a key card and went to his dad's room across the hall.

"What's up, Ven?" Auron asked.

"Dad, I think Roxas is having sex in the bathroom." Auron chuckled.

"He's old enough to do what he wants."

"But that's gross! I mean, how does that even work?!" Auron ruffled Ven's hair.

"When you're older, Ven. Just be happy that your brother is happy."

"Well, I am happy. Axel's really nice. Usually gay people are all creepy and in-your-face, but Roxas is still, well, Roxas." Auron smiled.

"You're growing up too fast, Ven."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all."

Back in the bathroom, Axel had stripped away Roxas's clothes and most of his own. Roxas lay on the ground, his chest breathing heavily and his eyes filled with lust.

"You look so damn sexy," Axel growled as he slipped out of his boxers.

"Just fuck me already!" Roxas replied breathlessly. Axel gladly obliged.

After a round on the bathroom floor, they turned to the shower. The hot water cascaded over their bodies as they passionately fucked each other on the shower floor.

"Axel…" Roxas breathed as the red head licked his erection. He gasped as Axel's teeth gently ran down the sides of his cock, ending with a heavy sucking. Roxas moaned as waves of pleasure coursed through him. Axel wiped his tongue around the tip.

"Beg me," Axel growled.

"Please!"

"Harder."

"God, Axel, please! Make me cum!" Axel sucked harder. Roxas felt himself hit his peak. His back arched and he let out a strangled cry. "Please, make me cum!" he begged. He could feel Axel smirk on his cock. Right before Roxas his his orgasm, Axel slowed, drawing out the climax. Roxas went nuts. He squirmed and clawed at Axel's shoulders. "God, you are like nirvana…"

"Do you want it?" Axel teased, licking the tip playfully.

"YES! I want to fucking cum! Stop torturing me and blow me already!" Axel chuckled.

"I don't think you want it." Roxas moaned loudly as Axel licked the length of his cock.

"Please, Axel," Roxas gasped.

"Hm, well, alright." Axel devoured Roxas. The blonde jerked as he hit his orgasm. As his body relaxed, he panted heavily. Axel greeted him with a kiss, letting Roxas's fluids run down his own throat.

"Why do you enjoy torturing me?" Roxas whined.

"Because it's fun and you enjoy it." Roxas opened his mouth to protest but was silenced by his lover's kiss. "Don't deny it."

"Okay…" They locked lips and let their hormones calm down. By the time they shut off the water, Roxas was practically asleep. Axel helped him out of the tub and dried them both off. Roxas wrapped the towel around his waist and went to get changed, Axel following close behind. They pulled on their PJ's and crawled into bed, spooned next to each other.

XxXxX

The next morning Ven woke to find the pair spooned together. He smiled at the sight. Roxas truly looked happy. 'And that's what matters.' Ven thought.

The group packed up before lunch and headed back to campus. Roxas's family spent the night at his apartment since they didn't want to drive the rest of the way home. Auron was exhausted. Roxas didn't mind. He spent time with Ven and Naminé, and even Wakka. Auron and Axel got along well too. It was like a big reunion.

When Roxas's family had to leave the next morning, Roxas felt a little sad. Despite his love/hate relationship with his family, he found deep down he truly missed them. He gave hugs to his siblings and even Auron gave his son a large hug. As they drove off, Roxas felt a weight sink in his stomach.

"Hey Roxas," Axel called from inside. Roxas stepped inside the apartment, shutting the door behind him. Axel sat at the counter. There, on a small plate, sat a cupcake.

"What's this?" Roxas asked, walking over.

"You're Christmas present."

"But I didn't get anything for you!" Roxas protested. "And you already set up the trip for me! Now I owe you two presents." Axel chuckled.

"Nah, I'm just doing this because I feel like it. You don't owe me anything."

"Are you sure?" Axel stood and kissed him on the forehead.

"Positive. Now eat your damn cupcake!" Roxas smiled and picked up his treat. It was an almond cake with raspberry filling and a cream cheese frosting. It was scrumptious.

"So what are we going do to the rest of our break?" Roxas asked as he popped the rest of his treat into his mouth.

"Not do homework." Roxas laughed.

"I double that. Anything else fun planned?"

"Nah, I just figured we wing it."

"We should throw a surprise New Year's party for when Demyx and Zexion get back."

"You know, that sounds like a great idea. Demyx is a wild fan of parties."

"Then let's do it!" The men set to planning straight away.


	16. Chapter 16: The Reason I Love You

Axel stared at Roxas as the blonde stared at their list. Roxas was chewing thoughtfully on his eraser. Axel waited patiently as Roxas double checked their work. Finally, Roxas set the paper down and sighed.

"We're all set. All we have to do is wait," Roxas stated.

"Do you think they'll be surprised?" Axel asked, sipping his tea.

"They better be or this was a big waste of time."

"It gave us something to do." Roxas pondered it for a moment.

"I guess so." Axel chuckled and sipped his tea again.

"You ready for another round of school?"

"Hell no! I'm going to be jammed with twenty one credits this semester. Twenty one! I'm going to die!" Roxas pouted and lightly slammed his face into the counter. "I'm doomed."

"At least you're on track to graduate."

"You always know how to cheer me up."

"I would be a terrible friend if I didn't." Roxas smiled.

The days passed by and soon it was December 30th. Demyx and Zexion returned to the apartment during the afternoon. They looked exhausted but mildly satisfied. They had found a house to stay in eight hours away. Zexion would be teaching English at the middle school after he graduated. Axel and Roxas welcomed them back with muffins and a couple bottles of wine. Demyx and Zexion happily spent the evening unwinding.

The next morning the married couple slept in late. Roxas and Axel were dying inside to surprise the pair they could barely sit still. By lunch, Zexion appeared in the kitchen half asleep. He took a glass of juice upstairs and returned to sleep. Zexion returned to the first floor around four with Demyx in tow. They snacked on pudding and yogurt from the fridge.

Axel and Roxas met them downstairs. They exchanged several glances before Axel cleared his throat.

"You guys want to go to a party tonight?" Axel asked. Demyx instantly perked up.

"Where at?" the dirty blonde asked.

"The club here on campus. They're going to have a New Year's celebration and I thought it would be fun to go together."

"I'm game. How about it, Zexi? Up for some dancing?"

"Just so long as I don't have to talk to another real estate agent, I would be glad to go. God, if they try to sell me another house filled with mice, termites, squirrels or has a giant area rug covering a hole in the floor I'm going to snap someone's neck," Zexion seethed.

"Bad time house hunting?" Roxas asked.

"Don't bring it up. Zexion's pretty OCD when it comes to having a tidy house. Some of those places nearly had the guy clawing his brain out of his nose," Demyx replied with a grin. Zexion scowled and shoved another spoonful of strawberry yogurt into his mouth.

"Well, we're going to leave around nine," Axel said, bringing the conversation full circle.

"We'll be ready by then," Demyx promised. As Roxas and Axel headed back upstairs, they grinned mischievously at each other.

At nine, the four climbed into Axel's car and headed over to the club. It wasn't terribly busy since it was winter break, but there was still a good crowd of upper classmen and freshmen who didn't want to drive home for the holidays. The guys found a small table in the back and ordered a round of drinks. Then they hit the dance floor.

Roxas found himself having a blast. It was only his third time clubbing with his new friends but it was probably the most fun he had a club in his entire life. They laughed and danced. When they weren't dancing, they were telling stories over drinks at the table. Roxas didn't even think twice when Axel hinting he wanted to grind. It almost felt like second nature.

As it grew closer to midnight, the DJ riled up the crowd. A large clock was projected on the wall when there was only an hour to go. As the seconds ticked down to zero, the crowd chanted with the clock. When the clock ran out, everyone screamed "HAPPY NEW YEAR!". In all the excitement, Roxas gave Axel a quick kiss on the lips.

"Happy New Year," Roxas murmured.

"It's been a damn fine year so far," Axel replied in Roxas's ear. Roxas giggled and turned to Zexion and Demyx. They were just as riled up at the rest of the crowd.

"Hey!" Roxas called to get their attention. Demyx and Zexion turned his way. Roxas jerked his head towards the table. Everyone left the floor as another round of dancing started up. "Let's head back!" Roxas suggested.

"Now?" Demyx asked, a bit surprised. "It's still kind of early."

"Nah, we're just antsy to get home. Roxas has something he wanted to do," Axel replied.

"Well, alright, but you're not driving Axel," Zexion stated.

"What?!"

"You've had too much to drink. Honestly, I don't know where you put them all."

"Pft! You should have seen me in high school. This was an appetizer compared to then." Axel shoved his keys in Zexion's hands. He was grateful the dark haired man decided to be the responsible driver for the night. Driving around the holidays made Axel nervous.

As they pulled into the parking lot, Zexion handed Axel his keys back. Axel unlocked the door. He paused for a second.

"You know, you two never got a bachelor party," Axel noticed.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Demyx asked.

"Just saying." Axel swung open the door. Inside stood a small group of people with grins on their faces: Marluxia, Terra, Seifer, Riku, Sora, Lexaeus, and even Vexen. Demyx and Zexion were stunned silent. The counter was lined with cupcakes, various spirits, sodas, and bowls of candy.

"Wha…what is everyone doing here?" Demyx asked. The four stepped inside the apartment and Axel shut the door behind him.

"What the Hell do you think? We're throwing a party!" Seifer snapped.

"For what?" Zexion pressed.

"YOU, you goons," Axel laughed, ruffled the married pair's hair. They flinched slightly.

"But we didn't ask for a party."

"Too damn bad!" Riku stated. "Now get a drink and crank the music!"

Marluxia turned up the stereo in the basement and they passed out drinks. In their drunken state, as they were all of legal age including Sora who had turned 20 in the fall, they laughed hysterically at everything. They played several rounds of brawl to which everyone did terrible since their reactions were severely impaired but they didn't care. When they got hungry, they devoured the sweets lining the counter.

There came a point when Roxas thought it would be funny to shove a cupcake into Seifer's face. The older male responded by starting an all-out food war. Faces were smeared with frosting, flour littered the counter, and soda slicked up the floor. Sora used the hose on the sink to spray everyone until their shirts were plastered to their chests. Terra retaliated by opening the front door and flinging a snowball at Vexen's head. The guys took their fight outside and started throwing snow at each other. They didn't care none of them had jackets and only half were wearing shoes.

It was nearly six in the morning when they passed out in the living room. Everyone was sprawled out on various pieces of furniture. Sora had claimed the kitchen table and Terra was flopped over the coffee table. Axel lay sprawled on the couch while Roxas slept at the counter, his head buried in his arms. Seifer passed out on the stairs. Vexen lay snoring on the floor. Marluxia lay sleeping against the front door, a snowball still melting in his hand. Demyx and Zexion were tangled on a lazy boy chair with Lexaues passed out leaning against the base.

They woke up around ten the next morning. Everyone was cold, crabby, sticky, and hung over. Everyone took turns taking showers and cleaning up the kitchen. It had been a disaster area. The graduated men said their goodbyes the day after once their heads cleared. The apartment tenants returned to their rooms and went to sleep.

As the month progressed, a new semester started. College was back in full swing and everyone was busier than ever. Marluxia, Seifer, Zexion, and Demyx felt the pressure of their upcoming graduation. Roxas felt the crunch of taking too many credits while Axel was stressed in general. Riku and Sora, once again, seemed the only two unaffected.

It didn't help Axel much that when school started, so did the e-mails. His creepy letters from Xemnas had stopped during the break, in which he was grateful, but they were back and as stalker-ish as ever.

As the month grew close to February, Roxas felt his mind become unfocused. He couldn't help but think back to Axel's Christmas presents and he desperately wanted to do something for Axel. He just didn't know what. Roxas found himself going to Marluxia, once again, for some advice.

Axel was out shadowing when Roxas knocked on Marluxia's door. The pink haired man looked rather frazzled but he wasn't busy when Roxas asked to talk. Marluxia offered Roxas a strawberry Pocky as they settled down to talk.

"I see you ran out of ideas again," Marluxia teased.

"Well, it's different now," Roxas replied, shifting awkwardly in Axel's chair.

"How so?" Marluxia took a bite of his Pocky.

"Well, we're actually in a relationship now."

"You weren't before?"

"Well, not intimately. I feel like I would be going cheap if I just took him out to dinner."

"What about something really big and unexpected?"

"That's what I want to do! But, I haven't figured out what that is yet…" Roxas chewed thoughtfully on his Pocky. Marluxia's face grew stern.

"Just how serious are you two?" he asked quietly. Roxas shrugged.

"Pretty serious. I can't imagine us ever breaking apart."

"Do you think you'd want to take your relationship further?"

"Further? Aren't we already pushing it?" Marluxia shook his head.

"I was talking about marriage." Roxas nearly choked on his Pocky.

"Marriage?!" The look on Marluxia's face told Roxas the man was serious. Roxas felt like protesting but he gave the idea some thought. It rolled around in his brain for awhile. "Well, I guess I never thought of that. I could propose, but it's rather sudden. I don't even have a ring." Marluxia chuckled. He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a black box.

"I thought this might happen so I came prepared." Roxas gaped at the man. "And yes, you owe me BIG TIME. But you can pay me back as we go." The pair sat in utter silence. Marluxia waited but Roxas just continued to stare. "Um, Roxas?"

The blonde jumped him, crushing Marluxia in an embrace.

"You are the best! I owe you my soul!"

"Yes. Feel free to sign the contract on your way out the door to make it official." Roxas released Marluxia and peeked inside the box. The ring was nested inside. "I hope you make it special." Roxas tucked the box in his pocket.

"I plan on it."

XxXxX

Valentine's Day.

The weather was surprisingly warm for being so early in the year. Roxas made sure to dress his best, turning to his trusty black cargo pants and red long sleeved shirt. He clipped his dog tag to his red collar and tried to make his hair a little less wild. Roxas had planned a double date for dinner with Pence and Olette. Things hadn't worked out between Olette and Hayner, although they were still friends. With some encouragement from Roxas, Pence got the courage to ask Olette out to dinner. She happily agreed.

Axel drove Roxas over to the restaurant and they met up with the shy couple. They talked over dinner and caught up over various parts of their lives. Pence mostly talked to Roxas while Olette engaged with Axel. Once they finished eating, they split their ways.

When Axel parked in the parking lot of the apartment complex, Roxas stepped out of the car and headed away from the door. Axel raised an eyebrow.

"Let's go for a walk," Roxas suggested. Axel shrugged, locked his car, and followed Roxas without question. They walked hand in hand in the park. The sun was setting on the horizon, making the sky red. Roxas felt extremely nerous.

'I never discussed this with Axel. What if he rejects me?! Fuck, my hands are sweating. I really hope he doesn't notice.' Roxas thought anxiously. Axel gave Roxas's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Something wrong?" Axel asked.

"Not at all," Roxas lied. Axel could spot Roxas's fib but he didn't comment. They stopped in the middle of the open park and watched the sky change shades of scarlet. "Hey…um, Axel," Roxas started.

"Yeah?" Axel was a bit concerned. Roxas was acting strangely.

"Would you ever want something like Demyx and Zexion have? I mean, a lifetime commitment?" Axel scratched his head.

"You mean marriage? Well, I guess I never thought about it much," Axel admitted. "I suppose I would be up for it, so long as it was with you." Axel smiled warmly. Roxas felt his heart melt. "Why? Why'd you ask?" Roxas slipped his hand from Axel's and gulped. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. "Roxas?"

The blonde forced himself down on one knee and pried open the black box in front of Axel. His eyes were pinched shut and face cast downward. Axel stared stunned at the ring. It was white gold with a ruby inlaid on the inside of the band. There was also an engraving. Passion, it read in scripted letters. Axel blinked, unable to speak. Roxas's hands started to tremble.

"Would you marry me?" Roxas asked so quietly it was almost a whisper. Axel took a deep breath and smiled. He lifted Roxas's face. The blonde had tears in his eyes.

"I'd be an ass to say no to that face, but that leaves me with a problem." Roxas felt his heart clench in fear. Axel knelt down and reached into his pocket. "See, Marluxia gave this to me so I could propose to a certain blonde I know, who I happen to love unconditionally." Roxas's hands flew to his mouth, tears pouring down his face.

Axel opening an identical box to reveal his own ring. It was the same white gold band only there was a diamond on the inside next to the word Passion in scripted letters. Axel leaned closer to Roxas.

"Roxas, would you marry me?" The blonde whimpered and nodded. Axel pulled the ring from his box and slipped it onto Roxas's finger. Then he took the ring from Roxas's box and slipped it on his own finger. Roxas collapsed against Axel's chest, sobs racking his body. Axel rubbed his back gently.

"How the Hell are you so calm?!" Roxas spat.

"Because you're here with me." Roxas crushed the fabric of Axel's shirt in his fists.

"But I'm a wreck!"

"A beautiful one at that." Axel leaned down and kissed Roxas softly. The blonde reached up and tangled his fingers in Axel's hair.

"You never answered me…"

"Do you need an answer?" Roxas's eyes were pleading. "It's a yes. Got it memorized?" Roxas choked out a laugh.

"Yes, yes I do." Axel swept Roxas up into a passionate kiss. Then they curled up together to watch the sky turn black. As the first stars appeared, Axel hoisted Roxas onto his back. The blonde wrapped his arms around Axel's neck as the red head carried him back to the apartment.

'This is mine now.' Roxas thought. 'And I'm his.' He rested his head on Axel's shoulder. Axel smiled and carried the blonde smoothly all the way home. When Axel brought Roxas upstairs, he was already asleep. Axel tucked him in bed and kissed Roxas on the forehead. Then he returned to his room and changed into his PJ's. As he crawled into bed, he felt hot tears slip out of his eyes.

'God, that was scary. How the Hell did I manage to keep it together?' He wondered as he drifted off to sleep.

XxXxX

Marluxia drove Axel and Roxas off campus to a small town where they held a small ceremony. There were only a few people who opted to come. Demyx and Zexion were there along with Riku and Sora. Marluxia was Axel's best man. Pence was Roxas's.

Axel wore a black tux with a red tie. Roxas wore a white suit with a blue tie. The whole time the pastor spoke, Axel and Roxas's hands were tightly clasped. After the vows were given, they wrapped their arms around each other, their lips pressed together. Demyx and Sora cheered wildly while Zexion smiled contently. Riku's face was a blank slate besides the light smile brushing against his lips.

It was a new start and a new beginning.

XxXxX

Xemnas drummed his fingers on the table.

"Axel," he seethed. "What have you done?"


	17. Chapter 17: The Sun Sets Red

The next month was one of the most contradictive times of Axel's life. He adored being with Roxas every moment he could yet he abhorred every moment they were apart. There was less tension between everyone at the apartment yet the tension kept growing inside with each creepy e-mail he received from the mysterious Xemnas. They had transformed to wanting to meet Axel to wanting to kill him. Axel knew he should report the campus but he still had no idea who Xemnas was. For all he knew, the mysterious man was working with the campus security.

Roxas still remained aloof of the mysterious e-mailer, as was everyone else in the apartment. Axel finally confided in Marluxia. The pink haired man was just as perplexed and concerned as Axel. Marluxia rubbed his chin as he read the latest e-mail.

"It's no use in hiding. I know your secret. You will be punished," Marluxia read under his breath. "Sounds like this is pretty serious. How long have you been getting these again?"

"Since about September. At first I thought it was just a weird mix-up between e-mails, but then he started getting weird and personal," Axel replied. "They stopped for awhile when I didn't respond so I assumed he gave up. Then as soon as the semester started, he was back in full force."

"I'm going to take a guess and say he knows you are married to Roxas."

"Same. That's when the death threats started."

"Oh dear. We really should report this."

"Could you…?"

"Yes, I'll take the call. Honestly, Axel, you never change." Marluxia pulled out his phone and dialed the campus security. Axel started to organize his side of the room while Marluxia filed the report. There was a sudden silence and it echoed throughout the room. Axel looked up, unsure of the cause of Marluxia's lack of speaking.

"Yes, I understand. Thank you," Marluxia muttered before hanging up. His face seemed a bit pale. Marluxia took a deep breath and turned to Axel. "We have a problem."

"What do you mean?"

"No one by the name of Xemnas goes to this college."

"But I checked last fall and he was on the registry. Maybe he graduated or transferred schools between semesters. That would explain the sudden gap in e-mails."

"I asked about that but it appears no one by the name of Xemnas has ever gone to this school." Axel felt his stomach flip. "Axel, I think we're dealing with something more than a crazed student."

XxXxX

April.

Axel's birthday was fast approaching and he felt squeamish. He desperately wanted to tell Roxas about the e-mails but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Spring break was spent with Roxas, Demyx, and Zexion at the beach. Riku and Sora came back early and joined the party to going to the beach every day. It helped take their minds off of the end of the year that was looming over their heads, which meant cramming and finals.

Axel found himself lying on the living room couch staring at the ceiling. Roxas sat on the floor at the coffee table working on his homework. He chewed liberally on his eraser. Axel sighed.

"You ready for your birthday?" Roxas asked, not looking up. Axel twisted the ring on his finger.

"I guess."

"You don't sound excited."

"I'm not really looking forward to it."

"Why's that?" Roxas looked up, his eyes concerned. Axel met his gaze and his heart melted.

"I'm worried."

"About what?"

"About…I don't know." Roxas shifted positions so he was sitting on the couch with Axel's head on his lap. His fingers brushed against Axel's face.

"You can tell me." Axel closed his eyes. He could feel his body shake at the fear welling up inside of him. Roxas's touch eased his frazzled nerves.

"I'm scared," Axel admitted quietly. Roxas leaned down and kissed Axel's forehead.

"I'm here for you."

"That's what I'm scared about." Axel opened his eyes, finding Roxas's confused expression staring back at him. Axel ran a hand over his face. "Someone wants me dead, Roxas." Axel could feel the blonde stiffen. "They keep sending me death threats and I'm scared. I don't know what to do."

"Did you report this?"

"Marluxia's looking into it with every last spare second he has, bless his fucking soul. I can't stand being around police after…well, after I rolled off a cliff. They just press you for questions you have no idea how to answer. It makes me feel uncomfortable." Roxas ran his fingers through Axel's hair.

"You're safe with me," Roxas reassured him. "I'll protect you with my dying breath." Axel averted his gaze to the floor. He tried to speak but it felt like his throat was filled with paste and sand. Roxas continued to stroke his head. The blond sang softly under his breath. Axel felt the tension ease in his muscles as the sound of Roxas's flawless Japanese echoed in his ears. He closed his eyes, feeling hot tears spill out of his eyes. Roxas shifted so he lay on top of Axel. They wrapped their arms around each other.

"I love you," Roxas muttered.

"I love you too," Axel croaked. Roxas sat up and kissed Axel softly, followed by kissing the tears from Axel's face.

"Whatever you want to do, Axel, I'm here for you." Axel swallowed hard.

"Can I just hold you? Please?" Roxas smiled and snuggled against his husband's chest.

"Always."

XxXxX

Roxas took Axel out for dinner on his birthday. The rest of the apartment came later and they had their round of drinks. It was a day to celebrate.

"What are we doing tonight?" Demyx pressed as they headed for the door.

"We could play Brawl," Sora recommended.

"Or go bowling," Marluxia added.

"How about a movie," Axel suggested.

"Right on! What are we watching?" Demyx asked.

"There's a new anime flick we could watch," Sora chipped in.

"What's it about?" Roxas asked.

"Some futuristic plot with guns and giant fighting robots. Oh, and plenty of oversized boobs." Seifer grinned.

"Now here's a kid that knows his audience," Seifer commented. Zexion grabbed the door and they filed outside. Roxas stepped outside and squinted against the harsh light of the setting sun. He turned to Axel. The man practically glowed in the golden rays.

'God, he looks like he popped out of Twilight.' Roxas thought.

A car pulled up to the curb and a tall man stepped out. He had silvery-white hair that ran down to his shoulders. The party shifted to the side to let the man pass, as they assumed he was picking something up from inside the restaurant. Roxas's gaze was captured by the stranger. The man wore black slacks and a white shirt with his sleeves rolled up. Roxas suddenly felt uneasy. He watched as the man reached behind him.

'He's just grabbing his wallet. Calm down.' Roxas reassured himself. He blinked as something glinted and reflected the sun into his eyes. Then his eyes went wide.

BANG!

Roxas screamed Axel's name but he couldn't hear his own voice.

The stranger had pulled out a gun and shot Axel. The red head hadn't been facing the stranger so he was totally unaware. Axel fell to his knees and collapsed against the wall of the restaurant, blood oozing from his shoulder. Roxas watched as the man gave him a dark stare and walked away to the alley behind the restaurant.

"Roxas!" Marluxia screamed. The blond snapped out of his daze. Sora and Zexion were trying to stop the bleeding on Axel's shoulder. Riku had his phone out and he was calling for an ambulance. Roxas clenched his fists and took off down the sidewalk.

"Wait!" Demyx cried. Roxas didn't hesitate.

The man had crossed the line.

Roxas entered the alley and found the man waiting for him. The man examined his gun with a bored expression.

"Glad you could make it, Roxas," the man said in a deep voice.

"Who the hell are you?! Roxas barked.

"Xemnas."

"You're the fucker who's been e-mailing Axel!"

"Yes. Did it bother him? Did it hurt him?"

"What are you talking about?"

"He took Saïx from me."

"We're you stalking him too?"

"I loved Saïx, even if he didn't return my feelings. He tore my world apart, but you were the one who shattered it, Roxas. I hate Axel, but I loathe you."

"What are you talking about?"

"You killed my brother."

"You're brother?" Roxas felt his blood run cold. "Xigbar."

"Yes. You two destroyed my life."

"But I don't even know you!" Roxas protested.

"It doesn't matter. You won't be around long enough to understand. I sent those e-mails to lure Axel out and kill him, but he was too busy fucking you. Now I get the pleasure of killing both of you." Xemnas raised the gun at Roxas. The blonde dropped as the bullet ripped over his head. He charged and slammed into Xemnas, causing the man to drop the gun. Roxas slammed his fist to the man's face. Xemnas staggered.

Then the man pulled out a knife from inside his sleeve. He swung at Roxas and the blonde leapt back out of the way. Xemnas flicked the blade and sliced Roxas's cheek. A thin red line appeared on Roxas's face. Xemnas tried to cut Roxas again but the blonde hopped out of the way. The man grabbed him by the front of his shirt and started beating Roxas with the hilt of his knife. Roxas tried to block the blows but Xemnas had the upper hand.

Roxas ripped his shirt free, tearing the fabric. Xemnas wheeled about and kicked Roxas. The blonde was sent sprawling. As Roxas staggered to his feet, Xemnas, buried his knife into Roxas's back.

"GAH!" Roxas screamed, feeling his muscles tear. Xemnas jerked the knife free and kicked Roxas in the stomach. The air left the blonde's lungs. He felt Xemnas land a blow on his throat. Roxas choked, and fell over, unable to speak. He saw the knife flash in Xemnas's hands. His eyes widened.

Xemnas screamed in rage as a knife buried itself in his shoulder. Roxas looked up to find Seifer standing over him. He tried to call out the older man's name, but his voice failed him. His voice box had been crushed.

"Axel's okay," Seifer growled. Roxas breathed a sigh of relief. Xemnas staggered to recompose himself. He swiped at Seifer, but Seifer had been in a knife fight before. The younger man pulled out a second blade and countered the bloodied knife. Roxas watched as they exchanged swipes. He felt someone next to him and found it was Marluxia.

"It's okay, Roxas. We're here for you," Marluxia murmured. Roxas struggled to stand. He turned to find Sora and Zexion holding Axel on their shoulders. Riku was still on the phone. Demyx shifted nervously as he watched Seifer fight with Xemnas.

At the sight of Roxas, Axel lunged forward and hurried over. Roxas caught him before the man fell on his face.

"You're bleeding!" Axel gasped as blood oozed from Roxas's back. Roxas tried to speak but it hurt. He smiled weakly. Roxas turned at the sound of Seifer grunting. Seifer had been kicked aside and Xenmas looked livid.

"You destroyed everything!" he roared. Xemnas bent down and picked up his discarded gun. Roxas's eyes went wide as the barrel pointed at his heart.

BANG!

Roxas felt himself tremble. A hot piece of metal sat lodged in his diaphragm. It hurt to breathe. Roxas wanted to scream but his voice wouldn't let him.

'AXEL!' Roxas screamed in his head.

Axel had his arms wrapped protectively around Roxas. The bullet had passed through his chest before lodging itself into the blonde's gut. Blood trailed from Axel's lips. Roxas could feel the grip on him weaken.

"Roxas," Axel breathed. "Don't forget…we promised…" Roxas stood frozen as Axel slid off of him in slow motion. Axel collapsed on the ground, his eyes glazed over.

"YOU BASTARD!" Seifer roared. He bolted to his feet and rammed into Xemnas. Riku dropped his phone and ran over with Sora. The Riku and Sora restrained the man while Seifer beat the shit out of him. Roxas fell to his knees, his eyes locked on Axel's body as it shivered and poured blood onto the pavement.

'No! Don't leave me!' Roxas screamed in his head. He ran his hands over Axel's body. His palms turned up red.

The police arrived and pulled Seifer off of Xemnas. The white haired man was quickly arrested and Axel was put in an ambulance. Roxas was put in a separate ambulance a few minutes later. The pair was quickly rushed to the ER. The other six apartment tenants got a ride to the hospital. When they arrived, it was chaos.

Doctors swarmed around Axel's gurney while Roxas lay still on his, oxygen mask covering his face. Demyx buried his face into Zexion's chest, squeamish with all of the blood. Sora chewed on his fingernails while Riku stood with his arm around the brunette's shoulders.

Marluxia went over to Roxas's bed. Roxas's eyes were pleading. Marluxia glanced over at the doctors working on Axel. The EKG screamed and they ripped off Axel's shirt.

"Clear!" one doctor screamed. Marluxia flinched as he heard the shock jolt Axel's body. He turned to Roxas to see the blonde had tears falling down his face. After two more tries, the doctors paused in their work.

Finally, the stepped back.

"Dead," one of them muttered. Roxas's eyes went wide. He scrambled to his feet, ripping the wires and tubes from his body.

"Roxas!" Marluxia protested. He tried to push Roxas back into the gurney but Roxas pushed him aside. The blonde collapsed on the floor in hysterics. He crawled across the floor, leaving a gruesome red smear in his wake. "What are you doing? We can still save you. Roxas!" Marluxia tried to help Roxas to his feet but the younger man pushed him away.

Roxas stopped when he saw a hand being offered in front of his face. He looked up to find Seifer holding a hand out to him. Roxas took it and was pulled to his feet. Seifer threw Roxas's arm around his shoulder and helped the injured man limp along the floor over to Axel's body.

"Almost there," Seifer muttered. "Just hold on a bit longer."

They reached the gurney and Roxas clung to the sides. Seifer helped him onto the bed next to Axel's body. Then he stepped back.

Roxas ran his hand over Axel's cheek. Tears spilled from his eyes.

'We promised, Axel. I remember. Wait for me.' Roxas closed his eyes. 'There's no use living without you. You are my world. I'm sorry, Axel. I couldn't protect you.' Roxas leaned over and kissed Axel's cheek. Then he rested his head on Axel's shoulder.

Marluxia and Seifer watched as Roxas's breathing slowed. Blood dripped off of the gurney as the wound on Roxas's back bleed freely. Under his shirt, a massive bruise formed around his stomach as his internal organs bled.

'Haruka…'

Roxas shuddered and fell still.

He was pronounced dead a moment later.

XxXxX

"Daddy! Where are we going!" the little girl with pink hair complained.

"Patience," Marluxia replied, smiling at this daughter. Tifa smiled at her daughter's silly actions. The small girl twirled around with a flower in her hair.

As they approached the graves, they noticed they weren't alone.

Seifer stood at the graves in a black suit. Sephiroth sat on his shoulders with his usual blank expression. Seifer had won the court. He was Sephiroth's legal guardian the moment he graduated from college.

The last month was strange in the apartment. Hardly anyone spoke. It was awkward when Roxas's parents and siblings stopped by to gather his things. Even more so when Axel's parents stopped by to get their son's. Despite the commotion of packing, there was one thing that wasn't packed. Seifer had pilfered Roxas's headphones and kept them in memorial.

It was strange now that five years had passed.

Marluxia, Tifa and their daughter, Missy, arrived and they spread their flowers on the pair of graves. Axel and Roxas lay side by side, their epitaphs reading their names and inscriptions: To meet again in the next life.

"Do you think they knew?" Marluxia asked quietly. Seifer glanced at the pink haired man.

"Yeah, I think they knew."

"I wish it didn't have to end like this." Seifer scoffed.

"Why? Because they're gone? Ha! Ten bucks says we haven't seen the last of them."

"They're dead, though."

"Yeah, but don't forget: sometimes we get a second chance." Marluxia smiled.

"I hope you're right."

XxXxX

Two angels lay in the sand. Their heads rested on the other's ankles, their knees tucked together like two perfect pieces of a puzzle. Soft, white wings spread behind them. They lay in silence. They were chained to each other by collars around their necks. A set of numbers was branded on their wrists.

One read 6-VIII. The other 6-XIII.

The times they died.

One of the angels stirred and opened his eyes. They clasped hands with the other angel and tangled their fingers together. The other angel awoke and smiled softly.

"See you in the next life," one whispered.

"Yeah," the other replied. And they were ripped apart in a flurry of white feathers.


	18. Chapter 18: The Memories We Left Behind

Roxas opened his locker and placed his books inside. He heard a knocked on the metal door and looked up to find Leon standing there.

"Hey," Roxas greeted.

"End of the year's coming up," Leon commented.

"So it is."

"Ready for Christmas break?"

"Duh!" Roxas chuckled. "Who isn't?" Leon shrugged. The sound of laughter caught their attention. Aerith giggled as Cloud walked her to their next class.

"Hey guys!" Aerith called.

"Hey!" Roxas and Leon called with a wave. Cloud gave the pair a nod and he walked off with Aerith.

"I'm glad they finally decided to get together," Roxas stated.

"Didn't you fancy Aerith?" Leon pressed. Roxas shrugged.

"Eh, not so much anymore."

"Really?"

"Yeah. No particular reason. I'm just happy she's happy." The warning bell sounded and Leon took his leave. Roxas rummaged around in his locker and pulled out the books for his next class. His locker door shut with a slam.

"Freshman," a husky voice whispered in his ear. Roxas shivered.

"Give it a rest, Axel," Roxas snapped. The senior chuckled, leaning back from Roxas.

"You miss me?" the red head asked with a cocky smile.

"I rarely do." Axel frowned. Roxas turned to leave but Axel blocked his path. "Do you mind?" Axel smirked. The final bell rang and Roxas sighed. He was late for class again. "Axel, you're making me look bad."

"Nah because you always look so damn good." Roxas flushed. He quickly glanced around the hallway and found they were alone. "What are you planning over break?"

"Not much."

"You want to come to a party?"

"No. You shouldn't go to those. One of these days you're going to end up paying for it." Axel chuckled.

"Give me a reason not to go." Roxas scowled.

"I'm on vacation with my family until after Christmas." Axel arched his eyebrow. "I guess we could go clubbing…or something…" Roxas muttered. Axel grinned.

"That's more like it." Axel lifted Roxas chin. Then he pressed his lips to the freshman. Roxas felt his chest clench painfully. Every time Axel kissed him, it felt as if it wasn't the first time. His mind would think of Axel as a different person: kind, gentle, caring, and empty. Axel pulled away. Roxas noticed the familiar lack of spark to the senior's eyes. It was as if he was lost in thought, trying to remember something extremely important. It only lasted a brief moment. Then Axel gave Roxas a wave.

"See you around, Roxy!" Roxas blushed and chewed on his bottom lip.

"Axel!" he called. The red head turned, his hands buried in his pockets.

"Yes?"

"How did you ever pick me out?" Roxas wondered. Axel sighed and walked over to Roxas.

"It's not like that." Roxas stared up at Axel's face with his wide and searching eyes. "You found me," he corrected. He pressed his lips against Roxas's, feeling the strange sense of nostalgia flood his heart.

XxXxX

Roxas woke with a start. He ran a hand over his face.

'What a fucked up dream. I barely remember Axel from high school and we barely talked.' Roxas shivered at the memory of the Axel's lips against his. 'Like that would have ever happened anyway.' Roxas glanced over at Pence, who was reading.

"Tired of all that math?" Pence teased.

"Shut up," Roxas grumbled, climbing out of his bed. Pence left a short while later for his night class as Roxas fumed at his math homework. Finally he gave up in a huff. He packed his bed and headed for the library. As he walked there, he found himself feeling a very odd sense of déjà vu.

As he reached the tutor center, he cursed himself. It was 11pm. It closed at 9pm. Roxas mentally slapped himself and turned to leave. He caught a glance of a tall red head reading at a table. Roxas walked over and stood in front of the man. It took a minute before the man noticed Roxas was standing in front of him.

"Can I help you?" Roxas blinked.

"No." Roxas turned to leave, confused to why he had bothered to stop by the man's table.

"Alright. See you tomorrow then." Roxas paused.

"You know we're in the same class?"

"Well, duh. You sat behind me yesterday. Besides, you're not exactly a blend in kind of guy." Roxas frowned. He felt like he heard that line before but let it slide. "Did you read the chapters for tomorrow?"

"No shit." The man smirked.

"Just asking. My name's Axel by the way." Roxas was about to name some snide comment but he paused.

"Axel, from Hollow Bastion?" The man's eyebrows rose.

"Yeah. Got it memorized? Wait…how'd you know where I'm from?"

"Um, forget it. I'm Roxas. Got it memorized?" Roxas replied with a light smile. Axel chuckled.

"Sure do. I'll see you around then?"

"Yeah." Roxas turned to leave but paused. Axel tilted his head in confusion. "Hey, um, never mind." Axel chuckled.

"You're really weird, Roxas." The blonde smiled sheepishly and headed back to his room. His hand unconsciously went to his neck only to touch air in the space under his dog collar. Roxas's hand recoiled and dropped to his side.

A smile brushed against his lips.

"Haruka."

**A/N: Ending! ^^ Hope you enjoyed it.**


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